asked the Minister for Tourism, Fisheries and Forestry in view of Dublin County Council's decision to declare Baldoyle estuary, Dublin 13, a wildlife sanctuary, if he will now confirm this decision.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Baldoyle Estuary.
23.
I do not propose to establish a wildbird sanctuary at Baldoyle Estuary, County Dublin. As the Minister indicated to the Deputy in reply to a similar question on 8 April last he is satisfied that the coastal region between Dublin and Dundalk Bay is already adequately served with wildbird sanctuaries.
Is the Minister aware that Dublin County Council unanimously passed a resolution requesting that the Minister make this wildlife sanctuary? Is he also aware that the Baldoyle Estuary Preservation Society who represent 5,000 people have supported this resolution, as did Dr. Richard Nairn of the Wildlife Conservancy who identified rare species of birds who over-winter in this estuary? On foot of those facts would the Minister reconsider this matter with a view to making it a wildlife sanctuary?
These coasts are already well served with bird sanctuaries. Apart from Strangford Lough in Northern Ireland there are sanctuaries of Ballymascanlon and Lurgangreen in Dundalk, Bray and the Boyne Estuary, all in County Louth, the North Bull Island, Rogerstown Estuary and Brittas Ponds all in County Dublin, Broadlough in County Wicklow, the Slaney River, the Wexford Wildlife Preserve and Rosslare Point all in County Wexford. However, there is no doubt that the Deputy has made a very convincing case and there seems to be a unamimous decision by Dublin County Council that it should be declared a sanctuary. We will have another look at it and, if we can accommodate the Deputy's point of view with that of the members of Dublin County Council, we will make an attempt to do so.
We come now to questions nominated for priority.