Enda Kenny
Question:6 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Finance if he will give details of any proposals to reintroduce eagles to suitable habitats on the west coast; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Reintroduction of Eagles.
The Wildlife Service do not have any proposals to introduce eagles. However, a project to reintroduce the white-tailed sea eagle has been sponsored as a private venture by Eagle Star Life Insurance Company. White-tailed sea eagles have been extinct in Ireland since the early part of this century.
Two pairs of eagles were imported from the German Raptor Centre, which is a private research centre for the breeding and preservation of raptor and owl species. The four eagles were kept in quarantine at Fota Wildlife Park for two weeks. The younger pair will be released in spring 1992 on Inismhicealáin in the Blasket Islands, which was a traditional breeding area for Sea Eagles. The mature breeding pair will remain in a newly constructed aviary in Fota Wildlife Park. Their offspring will be released to the wild in the years ahead.
Licences to import the sea eagles were issued by the National Parks and Wildlife Service, Office of Public Works, to Fota Wildlife Park in September 1991.
I first beg your indulgence, Sir, to wish the Minister of State well in his new position.
In the context of the preservation and enhancement of the environment in general and of the Government's direction to double tourism numbers over a specified planned period, I ask the Minister whether he considers this to be a very worthwhile venture and whether, arising from that, he has instructed the Wildlife Service to carry out a survey of other suitable habitats on the west coast from Donegal to Kerry where there were other natural breeding grounds for the eagle.
I certainly consider the project to be very worthwhile. However, as I said, there are no plans at present to reintroduce eagles. Reintroduction of a species is, of course, a major project, which would take considerable time and resources. I know that the Deputy will, however, be very glad to hear that Mayo would be considered an excellent choice if it were decided to reintroduce eagles.
I had intended to ask the Minister of State whether he would care to say why a small, somewhat obscure, island off the south-west coast appears to be geographically, historically and in many other ways suitable for the preservation of deer and the generation of electricity and now for the preservation and release of the eagle. Therefore, I am glad to hear that the Minister is interested and does know that Eagle Island off the west coast of Mayo would indeed be very suitable.
Very briefly in reply to Deputy Kenny, I should point out that the Taoiseach personally supported this project, which the Deputy correctly describes as being very worthwhile. Indeed, the Taoiseach made his own private island available as the first site for reintroducing eagles. By the way, there were several nesting sites on the Blaskets and neighbouring islands in the previous century — yet another Kerry first.
I call Deputy Michael Noonan (Limerick East).
There have been a few sighted on Inismhicealáin as well.
A Ceann Comhairle——
I am sorry, but I have called Deputy Michael Noonan (Limerick East). I am sure that Deputy Kenny will give way to his colleagues; he has had a good innings on this question.
Yes, indeed. We can see that the Taoiseach was involved personally.
(Limerick East): I suppose that there is no danger of the eagles flying into the windmill when they are put down there?
Does the Minister of State know of the concern in the neighbourhood that the eagles will not survive because of the practice of putting out poisoned meat as a method of pest control on the nearby mainland? Has the Wildlife Service advised the sponsors of the project on that matter?
I know of the Deputy's concern about that matter. As the Deputy will be aware the Government recently announced their intention to bring in legislation to ban the use of strychnine. I hope that the legislation will be introduced very shortly.
The eagles project has been very well researched and the eagles have been trained to eat mainly fish, although they will also eat birds and other carrion. There is very little evidence that they would engage in killing lambs, for example.