asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the herd of approximately 700 wild goats in the Burren in County Clare has been halved in the last two months by the capture of a large number of wild goats by a person who is exporting them to Britain via Larne for the restaurant trade; and if he will make a preservation order in respect of wild goats in the Burren, as this species has been indigenous of the area of many centuries and is now in danger of being wiped out, as it plays an important part in maintaining a safe ecological balance by eating scrub and hazel which would normally spread over and kill the valuable flora of the Burren.
Written Answers. - Capture and Export of Goats.
88.
The goat herds in the Burren areas are a combination of feral herds and semidomesticated herds which are privately owned. Goats in this country are agricultural animals as opposed to truly wild and therefore they are not of primary importance in themselves from the viewpoint of species conservation.
I am naturally concerned with the control and management of Burren vegetation and grazing by many animals, especially goats, is an important factor in this context. However the control of exploitation of goats in this region is extremely difficult as feral and privately owned herds can intermingle and it is impossible to distinguish between the so-called wild and domesticated stock. Accordingly, I am not in a position to make a preservation order for wild goats in the area in question.