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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 15 Mar 1990

Vol. 397 No. 2

Convention on Wetlands: Motion.

Minister of State at the Department of the Marine (Mr. Gallagher)

I move:

That Dáil Éireann approves the terms of the Convention of Wetlands of International Importance, especially as Water Fowl Habitat, done at Ramsar on 2nd February, 1971, as amended by the Protocol done at Paris on 3rd December, 1982, and by the extraordinary conference of the contracting parties to the Convention at Regina, Canada on 28th May to 3rd June, 1987 — copies of which were laid before Dáil Éireann on 9 March 1990.

Ireland ratified this convention on 15 November 1984 and the approval of the Dáil is now sought to amendments agreed, subject to such approval, at the Extraordinary Conference of the Parties to the Convention held at Regina, Canada in May-June 1987.

The amendments concern the financing of the work of the convention and provide for contributions by all 52 parties on the basis of the United Nations scale. This would involve the payment by Ireland of 0.18 per cent of the budget agreed for the three years 1988-90 or 770 US dollars per year. This is in line with arrangements for contributions to other such conventions to which Ireland is a party.

The convention originated at a conference held in France in 1962 under the joint sponsorship of IUCN — International Union for Conservation of Nature and National Resources — ICBP — International Council for Bird Preservation) — and IWRB — International Waterfowl Research Bureau. Following many years of preliminary work, a further conference was held at Ramsar, Iran, in 1971 and the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat was adopted.

The convention was signed, subject to ratification, on behalf of Ireland on 14 February 1975. A protocol to provide for amending the convention was agreed in Paris in 1982. Ireland signed the Protocol on 30 June 1984 and approval to ratify is now sought in addition to approval on the ensuing amendments.

The main aim of the convention is to secure the designation by each contracting state of at least one wetland in its territory for inclusion in a list of wetlands of international importance for waterfowl — and the commitment of each contracting state to a policy of protection and management of the designated wetlands and of formulating and implementing planning so as to promote the conservation of designated wetlands and, as far as possible, the wise use of wetlands in its territory.

Ireland designated the Wexford Wildfowl Reserve for inclusion in a list of Wetlands of International Importance as required by the convention when depositing its instrument of ratification.

Order, the conversation in the lobby is intruding into the Chamber and disrupting the speaker in possession.

Fourteen additional sites have been added to the list by Ireland since then, i.e. Raven Nature Reserve, County Wexford, Pettigo Plateau Nature Reserve, County Donegal, Slieve Bloom Mountains Nature Reserve, County Laois, the Owenduff Catchment, County Mayo, Lough Barra Bog, County Donegal, Owenboy Nature Reserve, County Mayo, Knockmoyle/ Sheskin Nature Reserve, County Mayo, North Bull Island, Dublin, Rogerstown Estuary, County Dublin, Baldoyle Estuary, County Dublin, Clara Bog, County Offaly, Mongan Bog, County Offaly, Raheenmore Bog, County Offaly, and Tralee Bay, County Kerry.

The amendments adopted at the Regina Conference concern the financing of administrative and research services to the convention. It was decided that IUCN should provide administrative services to the convention and that the IWRB should carry out any necessary research.

On 24 June 1988 the Government authorised the Minister for Finance to move a motion in Dáil Éireann seeking approval to the amendments and to arrange for acceptance by Ireland of the amendments following Dáil approval.

I therefore request the approval of the Dáil to: (a) the ratification of the 1982 Paris protocol to the convention which provided for amending the text of the convention, (b) the amendments to the convention proposed at Regina, Canada in 1987.

We on this side of the House welcome this motion and, indeed, we support enthusiastically the fact that this country is a contracting party to the Ramsar Convention. In this country there are 52 known such sites and in the whole island, including Northern Ireland, there are 61 identified or designated sites. Yet, since we ratified the convention in November 1984 we have designated only 15 of the 52 major known wetland sites as wetlands of international importance. While the 15 sites that have been designated are all important sites in their own right, many of the more important sites in terms of their physical size and concentration of internationally important wild birds remain undesignated and are often threatened. If we accept the fundamental ecological function of wetlands as regulators of water regimes and as habitats supporting all kinds of flora and fauna, especially wild fowl, we must extend designation, protection and management to all these international wetlands within our own borders.

Our neglect of these areas and often our ignorance of their ecological importance have in recent years resulted in major encroachment and destruction of all or parts of highly important swamp-lands or wetlands on this island. This has happened to an alarming degree all over the developed and undeveloped world. We have often forgotten that such areas constitute places of high amenity and recreational value. We have forgotten all too often that wetland habitats are international resources, because the wild birds that inhabit them are usually migratory birds which move across several national boundaries in a life cycle that is truly one of the great marvels of natural life.

Alongside the Ramsar Convention we have the 1976 Wildlife Act, excellent legislation on nature conservation, yet its provisions have proved more aspirational than real because the Wildlife Service do not have the resources to enforce their protective measures. We have the EC Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds of 1979. This directive obliges each EC member state to protect several species of wild birds. Twenty-nine such species are found on this island. Under this directive we are obliged to establish special protection areas to maintain the populations of these birds at an appropriate level, yet we have only designated 15 such areas which must leave us close to being in breach of the regulations.

The other major gap in our policy is that while we have designated the wetland sites, that is all we have done and there is no follow-up in terms of protection and management of the areas. I would remind the Minister of Article 4 of the Ramsar Convention, paragraphs 3 to 5:

3. The Contracting Parties shall encourage research and the exchange of data and publications regarding wetlands and their flora and fauna.

4. The Contracting Parties shall endeavour through management to increase water-fowl populations on appropriate wetlands.

5. The Contracting Parties shall promote the training of personnel competent in the fields of wetland research, management and wardening.

We do not fulfil any of those obligations. We are also reminded under Article 6 of the Convention that:

By designating a wetland for inclusion in the List, a Government explicitly recognizes its international importance and obliges itself to ensure that its national planning is formulated and implemented in such a way that conservation of the listed wetland is promoted to the fullest.

Notwithstanding all of these obligations under the Ramsar Convention, under EC Directive 79/409 and under our Wildlife Act, 1976, we find a dump right beside one of the designated sites, the Rogerstown Estuary in North County Dublin and one of the most important habitats in these islands for Brent geese. The dump is clearly contaminating this most important site. This is a perfect example of what happens when we have no protection or management and an uncoordinated or insensitive planning permission policy which takes no account of the wildlife interest. Take, for instance, what happened in County Wexford in the Raven Nature Reserve. The Minister allowed limited shooting of Greenland white fronted geese some months ago. This was outrageous and rightly caused a national outcry.

We welcome the motion but these conventions and our participation in them are useless unless we honour them in the letter as well as in the spirit. We must never again have blots on our policy like the Rogerstown Estuary site and the Wexford Wildfowl Reserve licence to shoot.

I would like, finally, to pay tribute to the Irish Wild Bird Conservancy, a national voluntary organisation for the conservation of wild birds in their habitats. This voluntary organisation has done more nationally to awaken public awareness to what is happening to our wetlands and the need for urgent conservation and protection of each of the areas, than most of our official agencies. I have a recent publication issued by the Irish Wildbird Conservancy. It is an excellent publication which sets down the importance of our wetlands, their location what is happening and what we might be able to do to protect them.

Sorry, Deputy Connor, I must now call on another speaker.

When this matter of convention was brought before the Whips last week it was the Government's intention that it should be formally moved in the House without debate. I felt so strongly about this issue that I believed it required a short debate. The whole issue of wetlands and their use gets scant attention here.

In many ways we are the envy of our European partners in that we have an opportunity to preserve and expand our natural habitats. On the Continent of Europe wetlands in many instances have been drained for intensive farming. In the notion of the green Presidency of the EC, it should be a priority for us to look at our resources and try to maximise and preserve them. Our European partners, particularly the Dutch, are trying to recover wetlands which they drained for agricultural use, by artificial means. On the one hand we have intensive farming and food surpluses being produced in the EC and on the other there is increasing pressure on countries like ours who have yet to adopt intensive farming practices, to destroy more and more of our natural habitats.

As was pointed out, the original convention at Ramsar in Iran under Article 2 obliged each contracting party to designate suitable wetlands within its territory for inclusion in a list of wetlands of international importance. The convention places further obligations on the contracting parties in relation to the management and research of those areas. Article 2, paragraph 2 of the Convention says:

2. Wetlands should be selected for the List on account of their international significance in terms of ecology, botany, zoology, limnology or hydrology. In the first instance wetlands of international-importance to waterfowl at any season should be included.

Article 3 paragraph 1 says:

1. The Contracting Parties shall formulate and implement their planning so as to promote the conservation of the wetlands included in the List, and as far as possible the wises use of wetlands in their territory.

I am glad to say that the first area included in the list of designated areas once Ireland ratified the Convention was a site in Wexford. The decision of the Government on 30 August 1984 to designate Wexford Wildlife Reserve for inclusion in the list was very welcome. Since then 14 other sites have been included, including a site in Wexford at Raven.

In relation to the nature reserve at Raven I appeal to the Minister to take note of the fact that there is great controversy about that site. Part of the beach at Raven has been fenced off and rights and privileges afforded citizens of Wexford for generations are being denied. There is tremendous hostility there now. I appeal to the Minister to take note of and to bring to the attention of his colleague the Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach, Deputy Daly the growing anxiety in Wexford about that. As Deputy Connor said there are many other sites which need the protection of this convention now. The Minister is about to receive a detailed submission from the Wexford section of the Irish Wildbird Conservancy to designate within the county of Wexford a south coast national park for sea birds. The six sites in the south County Wexford coastline which are rated to be of international importance for sea birds include Lady's Island Lake, Tacumshin Lake, the Saltee Islands, the Cull-Killag, Keeragh Islands and Bannow Bay.

I hesitate to interrupt the Deputy but I must ask him to now please bring his speech to a close.

In a limited debate like this we are very restricted for time.

I appeal to the Minister to look carefully at the submission he will receive very shortly from the Wexford branch of the Irish Wildbird Conservancy, to include these areas for designation and protect them not only for future generations of Wexford people but for all Irish people who will be able to benefit in the future.

I welcome the motion before the House and I intend to support it. This motion gives us an opportunity of debating, albeit for a very short time, this important issue. I should like to make three points.

First, the Ramsar Convention puts an obligation on Ireland to list sites of international importance. Since 1984 Ireland has listed only 15 such sites although the Irish Wildbird Conservancy have identified 61 sites which meet international standards and should be listed. The question which arises, therefore, is when will this country list the remaining sites. I have in mind in particular the Shannon Callow site has been identified as one the House the problem of the possible extinction of the corncrake. The Shannon Callow site has been identified is one of the areas where the corncrake could survive. This country's record in listing sites compares very unfavourably with the records of other countries. For example, Denmark — a country which we very often want to emulate in economic activities, even though it does not obviously have as many wetlands as Ireland — had by May 1988 listed 27 Ramsar sites in accordance with the Ramsar Convention, a record which is much better than our own.

The second point I want to make relates to the protection of those sites which have been listed. Much concern has been expressed that, although sites have been listed they are not being adequately protected. For example, smack in the middle of the Rogerstown Estuary is a Dublin County Council dump which is polluting the estuary. The point was made previously by Deputy Connor in regard to the Wexford Wildfowl Reserve that permission was granted by the Government for the limited cull of Greenland white fronted geese, a species for which this country has an international responsibility to protect.

Third, it would be a mistake to confine our attention to those sites which are of such international significance that they would come under the Ramsar Convention. There are many wetland sites which are of regional significance and which would not be sufficiently large or important to be included under the Ramsar Convention. I am thinking in particular of the Booterstown Bird Marsh in my constituency which is of great significance to the southern part of Dublin but which is under threat. The Minister and the House will be aware that a large compensation claim — in the order of £12 million — was lodged yesterday by a developer for the St. Helen's Lands in respect of a road reservation which is to run through those lands. It is intended that that same road will run right through Booterstown Marsh. This will effectively destroy this small bird marsh which is of considerable significance to the Dublin area and of great importance to people.

In addition to listing sites which are of international significance under the Ramsar Convention and taking whatever steps are necessary to protect those sites, it is important that attention be given to the smaller sites. When the Minister is replying I should like him to tell us specifically when the Government intend to list the remaining sites and the further steps they intend to take to protect those sites which have already been listed.

(Wexford): This motion is of particular significance to County Wexford. The Ramsar Convention is only one of four conventions to which Ireland is a party. This convention was established in 1971 with the objective of conserving wetlands for wildfowl, etc. The contracting parties to the convention declared their interest in saving wetlands within their jurisdiction.

The convention requires each contracting party to designate at least one wetland for inclusion in a list of wetlands of international importance for wildfowl. Ireland has designated a number of such areas. The first area to be designated, in August 1984, was the Wexford Wildfowl Reserve. Since then something like 14 or 15 sites have been included in the list, including the Raven Nature Reserve in Curracloe. As Deputy Howlin pointed out, the Raven Nature Reserve has become very controversial in the past couple of months. As public representatives we have attended a number of public meetings at which people expressed concern at the proposal by the Office of Public Works to rail off part of the sand dunes at the Raven Nature Reserve and take from people traditional rights they have had for many years.

Up until recently there were 110 hectares in the Wexford Wildfowl Reserve. I was pleased that the Minister of State, Deputy Daly, on his last visit to Wexford a couple of weeks ago included another 84 hectares in the reserve. This was a very welcome move for that area. This reserve is of particular significance in that it provides a winter feeding ground for some migratory wildfowl species, including the Greenland white fronted goose. The reserve is a nature reserve under the Wildfowl Act. It is interesting to note that 50 per cent of the world's population of the Greenland white fronted goose spends the winter in Ireland and 40 per cent of them spend it in the wildfowl centre in Wexford.

Time does not permit me to go into details on the problems I should like to discuss, particularly in regard to the Raven Nature Reserve. I support Deputy Howlin's call that the Wexford branch of the Irish Wildbird Conservancy submission — I sent very detailed correspondence on this submission to the Minister of State, Deputy Daly — should receive favourable consideration by the Minister. People in County Wexford who are involved with the Wexford section of the Irish Wildbird Conservancy believe their submission meets the criteria laid down in the Ramsar Convention. I request the Minister to look favourably at this submission. If the submission meets the criteria laid down by the Ramsar Convention the Minister has the power to include these areas. It is essential that the Minister does this both in the interests of the people in the areas of south County Wexford mentioned by Deputy Howlin and for the preservation of the sea birds in that area.

Like the other Deputies who have spoken, I welcome this motion and recognise the importance of it. In the short time available to me I should like to stress the main purpose of the convention, which is written in very stirring language.

The convention makes a very profound statement which has ramifications far beyond the convention. It says: "The Convention recognises the interdependency of man and his environment". It should be stressed that that is the key to many matters on the environment which we will discuss in this House. The convention considers the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands as regulators of water regimes and as habitats supporting a characteristic flora and fauna, especially water fowl. It states that wetlands constitute a resource of great economic, cultural, scientific and recreational value, the loss of which would be irreparable. Third, it deplores the progressive encroachment on and the loss of wetlands now and in the future, and we have seen many examples of that. It recognises that water fowl in their seasonal migrations may transcend frontiers and so should be regarded as an international resource. Finally it says that they are confident that conservation of wetlands and their flora and fauna can be ensured by combining farsighted national policies for co-ordinated internationalisation.

That is all very stirring stuff, but I am sorry to have to introduce a note of partisan politics into this matter which I think, in many ways, should be inappropriate. It has to be said that this measure is too little and too late. We only have 15 sites designated out of 61. We should also look at how long it has taken us to get to this situation. This Convention in Ramsar was drawn up in 1971. It was ratified by us in 1984. It took 13 years for this country to ratify this convention. That is an absolute disgrace.

We improved a little bit. The Regina convention in 1987, which amended some of the provisions of the original convention, is now being ratified and it has taken three whole years to do this. I know things move slowly but they should not move that slowly and the parties in the House who were in Government over those years should examine their conscience and ask themselves why it has taken so long for these important measures to be ratified by this Parliament. I hope if we have something of a similar nature in the future that it will not take us so long.

I would like to thank the Deputies for their contributions and for their acceptance. I want to cover the various points made by the Deputies

Initially, Deputy Connor referred to the areas to be designated. In relation to that we propose to designate further wetlands as resources permit. Most of our major peatland sites which are owned by the State will be designated in due course. We have 68 nature reserves and have designated 15. There are about ten other sites which are suitable for designation in the immediate future and it is a matter of ensuring that the sites comply with the criteria laid down in the Ramsar Convention. We do not think it wise to designate sites unless we own them and have given them statutory protection under the Wildlife Act.

Reference was made to management. I want to stress that the nature reserves are managed by the staff of the Wildlife Service in accordance with an agreed management plan.

Deputy Gilmore referred to the Shannon Callows. This is a large area in private ownership and we do not designate unless we own the site and can give the statutory protection.

The Minister could implement the environmentally sensitive areas scheme.

It is an important wetland site and may be included in areas designated as environmentally suitable under Directive 1760 of 1987 which is being administered by the Department of Agriculture and Food.

Deputies Howlin and John Browne referred to the Raven in Wexford which is one of the 15 sites which has been designated. This beach has been fenced off by the local landowner, Lee Strand Co-op, from whom we bought additional land lately. The Minister has sought an injunction against Lee Strand and has been granted a temporary injunction and this matter will be settled in the courts.

We are at present in the process of preparing regulations in respect of the Raven Nature Reserve and have run into problems with the local users who will be fully consulted in the matter. Part of the reserve is a public beach. Therefore, we must take full note of public usage and this will most certainly be taken into consideration.

A number of Deputies referred to the Wexford Harbour Wild Fowlers Association and to the Greenland white fronted geese in County Wexford. The number of birds allowed to be killed was 450. This number was not specified in the Open Season Order. It is not possible to do so under the Wildlife Act, but the number has been agreed and accepted on a voluntary basis by the shooting syndicates and Wexford Harbour Wild Fowlers Association who have agreed to this. The open season for Greenland white fronted geese in County Wexford was from 1 April 1989 to 1 January 1990 inclusive.

While hunting of the Greenland white fronted geese was allowed throughout County Wexford the main areas were the north and south slobs, Waterford Harbour and Cahore. The allocation of geese was 300 out of the 450 to the north slobs indicating that these syndicates have a traditional once a fortnight shoot. The balance of 150 was allocated between Wexford Harbour Wild Fowlers Association who have a system whereby members phone in bag returns for the previous week and two geese are allocated to each member. Foreshore permits issued to the general public for County Wexford include a condition that weekly returns of white fronts shot be made to the Wildlife Service. Policing and monitoring of the goose shooting was carried out by three County Wexford wildlife rangers and members of the research staff who gather valuable information from the shot birds. The shooting fraternity appreciated the possible consequences of non-adherence to what had been agreed with them and were fully co-operative in complying with our requirements.

Agreement has been reached with Lee Strand regarding the purchase of additional land but negotiations are proceeding in relation to a leaseback arrangement of the land in question. It is hoped to finalise the purchase and the leaseback within weeks.

I hope I have outlined all the points that were raised. Other matters raised by the Deputy will be brought to the attention of the Minister, Deputy Daly. It is obvious that the House agrees that we should designate further areas. At the expense of repeating myself, let me say that while 15 areas are designated it is hoped to designate a further ten areas in the foreseeable future. Of course, it is important to remember that these areas cannot be designated under the Ramsar Convention unless they comply with the criteria. However, I said in relation to other sites which could be designated as environmentally sensitive, that this can be done under Directive 1760 of 1987 which is administered by the Department of Agriculture and Food.

I thank the Deputies for their co-operation and assure them that the Department and the Minister will do everything possible to have further areas designated, and will look at other areas that have been suggested.

Question put and agreed to.
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