Vol. 518 No. 1
160 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands the role of Dúchas in the destruction of a heronry and the breach of a felling licence (F12784) at Whitefield, Beaufort, Killarney, County Kerry, which saw 3,000 pinetrees and 1,000 broadford trees felled instead of the 770 pinetrees cited on the felling licence; and the plans, if any, to investigate this. [11208/00]
In accordance with normal practice Dúchas, the Heritage Service of my Department, was consulted by the Forestry Service of the Department of Marine and Natural Resources regarding the issue of a fellling licence at Whitefield, Beaufort. No objections were made and a felling licnece for a number of spruce and pine trees was issued by the Forestry Service. I would point out that the destruction of woodland not included in a felling licence is primarily the responsibility of the Forestry Service of the Department of Marine and Natural Resources and not Dúchas. It is a matter for the Forestry Service to take action where the terms of a felling licence have been reportedly exceeded.
Following reports received of the destruction of a number of trees falling outside the scope of the felling licence some of which may have contained herons nests, advice is being sought by Dúchas regarding whether a breach of the Wildlife Act, 1976, occurred or not, and the appropriate action to be taken.
