Seán Haughey
Question:417 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands the current number of peregrines in Ireland, that is, pairs and younger birds; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14522/97]
Written Answers - Bird Population.
Seán Haughey
Question:418 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands the number of permits which have been issued in the past five years for the removal of young peregrines from the nest to be placed in captivity by falconers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14523/97]
Seán Haughey
Question:419 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands if her attention has been drawn to the fact that peregrines placed in captivity by falconers are not being used in the sport of falconry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14524/97]
Seán Haughey
Question:420 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands her views on the practice by falconers of using falcons to hunt and kill native birds; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14525/97]
Seán Haughey
Question:421 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands the population of sparrow hawks in Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14526/97]
Seán Haughey
Question:422 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands the number of varied hawks which have been introduced and released onto our island over the past ten years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14527/97]
Seán Haughey
Question:423 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands the approximate number of wild birds killed by birds of prey each year in Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14528/97]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 417, 418, 419, 420, 421, 422 and 423 together.
The practice of falconry, including the issuing of licences for the taking of peregrines from the nest, is facilitated by Articles 7 and 9 of Council Directive (79/409/EEC) on the conservation of wild birds (the Birds Directive) and is regulated by the Wildlife Act, 1976 (Birds of Prey) Regulations, 1984. These regulations provide, inter alia, for the issue of licences to (a) possess eagles, hawks or falcons and (b) engage in falconry with eagles, hawks or falcons. While in most cases applicants for licences under these regulations apply for both licences, they are not mutually dependent and can be issued independently. Accordingly, there is no statutory requirement on persons possessing peregrine falcons under licence to engage in falconry. In some cases, peregrine held in captivity may not engage in falconry due to injury or involvement in breeding programmes.
The Widlife Act, 1976 (Birds of Prey) Regulations, 1984 also provides for the taking of wild birds from the nest under licence. In the case of peregrine falcons, the current population within the State is estimated at 350 breeding pairs. With a reproduction rate of 1.5 to 2 young per year, this would give an estimated maximum population of some 1,400. The number of nestlings permitted to be taken from the nest is determined by reference to EU pre-set criteria. Since 1994 five nestlings per annum are permitted to be taken from the nest and since 1993 a total of 26 were taken under licence.
The population of sparrowhawks in the island of Ireland is based on the 1988-1991 New Atlas of Breeding Birds in Britain and Ireland and is estimated at some 11,000 pairs. With the exception of two white tailed eagles introduced and released on Inishvickillane, County Kerry, no species of hawk has been introduced and released into the wild in Ireland in the last ten years. However, a number of miscellaneous birds of prey such as harris hawks and goshawks are imported from time to time for falconry.
No figures or estimates are available of the number of wild birds killed by birds of prey each year. However, in the natural order of things, a healthy balance is usually reached and maintained between predator and prey.
The use of falcons to hunt and kill wild birds is very much part of the ancient sport of falconry and replicates the natural predatory instincts of the birds in the wild. Falconry is regulated and permitted by the Wildlife Act, 1976 (Birds of Prey) Regulations, 1984. Accordingly, I am satisfied that falconry in Ireland has no adverse impact on the conversation status of our native wild birds and conforms with the principles of wise use set out in the Birds Directive.
Seán Haughey
Question:424 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands the number of song larks in Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14529/97]
The population of skylarks in Ireland is estimated to be of the order of 400,000 to 500,000 breeding pairs. There is some evidence of a decline in the population in some lowland farmland due to agricultural intensification and changes in farming practices, e.g. spring grass rolling, silage cutting, autumn sowing of cereals and the use of herbicides.