Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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300. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if his Department plans to introduce a nationwide cull of American mink as part of the recently announced alien species management plan; if local conservation and angling groups will be asked for submissions on this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53254/23]

Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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My Department’s National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is responsible for the implementation of a suite of National and EU legislation in relation to invasive alien species in Ireland. There are no plans at present in my Department for a nationwide cull of American mink.

My Department also leads on the development of a National Management Plan for Invasive Alien Species. This Plan, an important Programme for Government measure, has been drafted with a steering committee of national experts from Government Departments, agencies, local authorities and representative groups. Wider stakeholder engagement workshops were held recently in Dublin and in Limerick, and the draft Plan is now being readied for the public consultation stage in the new year.