Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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306. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will confirm that his Department received written advice from Inland Fisheries Ireland in September 2010 to list pike (esox lucius) as an invasive freshwater fish species in Ireland when drafting S.I. No. 477/2011 - European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10463/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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While my Department's National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is responsible for legislation and policy around invasive alien species in Ireland, Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has the statutory responsibility for the protection, development, and management of Ireland’s inland fisheries and sea angling resources..

My Department would have consulted widely when drawing up the third schedule to the 2011 regulations. While a submission was made by IFI in September 2010, we do not have access to that submission at this time. There are no plans at this time to add pike to the national list of invasive alien species.

The NPWS regularly liaises with IFI on matters relating to aquatic species and will be guided by expert advice provided by IFI as appropriate.