John Clendennen (Offaly, Fine Gael)
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708. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No.1308 of 8 September 2025, if the number of I-WeBS sites surveyed set-out in the previous reply refers to unique sites as listed on the I-WeBS website, or also contains sub-site of the same site listed on the website; the number of the sites surveyed in each year that were special protection areas (SPA’s); to confirm if site SPA sites classed as having been counted were all subject to the minimum number of counts required each year; the reason for the disparity between the number of site surveyed set-out in the previous reply and the number of sites for which peak count data is available on the I-WeBS website; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49008/25]

Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South-West, Fianna Fail)
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The number of Irish Wetland Bird Survey I-WeBS sites listed in Parliamentary Question No. 1308 of 8 September 2025 refers to unique I-WeBS sites surveyed per survey season. A large proportion of these sites are comprised of two or more sub-sites, with around 250 sites and 750 sub-sites surveyed per annum. All Special Protection Areas (SPAs) that fall under the contract for survey are subject to required minimum number of counts per survey season. The table below lists the number of sites surveyed in each year that were SPAs.