Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 24 Feb 1998

Vol. 487 No. 6

Written Answers - Special Areas of Protection.

Willie Penrose

Question:

280 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands the policy of compensation she has in place to compensate a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath; if she will request the National Parks and Wildlife Service to extend the boundary of the current special protection areas, so that the person can be fully compensated for the loss of the substantial acreage involved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4986/98]

Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands (Miss de Valera)

I understand that the lands of the person in question have attracted large numbers of Greenland white fronted geese and whooper swans for a number of years because of the high quality grass. Geese and swans are strictly protected under the Wildlife Act, 1976, and are included in Annex 1 of the Council Directive 79/409/EEC on the conservation of wild birds. As Annex 1 species, member states are required to take particular measures to ensure the protection of these species.

There is no provision for the payment of compensation under the Wildlife Act, 1976, for damage done by wild animals on birds. However, there is provision under section 42 of the Act that where protected wild birds are causing damage to,inter alia, livestock, poultry or agricultural crops either on pasture or on cultivated land, permission may be given to the owner or occupier of the property to take such steps as necessary to prevent the damage. A permission under section 42 of the Wildlife Act, 1976, was issued by Dúchas, the heritage service of my Department, on 16 October 1997 valid to 30 April 1998 enabling the person concerned to scare away the protected geese and swans on these lands by the use of bangers.

The boundary of Lough Iron special protection area, which lies adjacent to the lands in question is being reviewed as part of an ongoing overall review of SPA sites by Dúchas, the heritage service. Given the level of use of these lands by geese and swans, these lands would most likely be proposed for inclusion in the SPA. The inclusion of these lands within the SPA would entitle the landowner to additional payments under the Rural Environment Protection Scheme, REPS, operated by the Department of Agriculture and Food.