Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 28 Nov 2002

Vol. 558 No. 3

Written Answers. - Conservation Policy.

Trevor Sargent

Question:

37 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government his views on the fact that a virus epidemic could wipe out all seals, which are protected species; and if he will assist the Irish Seal Sanctuary in the voluntary conservation work it is carrying out. [23995/02]

Minister for the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Cullen)

To date a single case of Phocine Distemper Virus has been confirmed for a seal found in Irish waters. The animal in question was found off the Aran Islands, County Galway. A number of other seals have been forwarded to the Veterinary College of University College, Dublin for laboratory examination. To date none of the other specimens examined has been confirmed as having PDV.

I have arranged that Dúchas the Heritage Service of my Department continue monitoring incidences of sick or dead seals found on the Irish coastline. I would advise that young seals are often washed up at this time of year because of heavy seas resulting from stormy weather and that individual seal deaths are not necessarily related to incidences of PDV.

Officials in Dúchas, the heritage service of my Department, have communicated with scientific colleagues in Ireland and abroad and with the local authorities. Dúchas officials also met representatives of the Irish Seal Sanctuary on 9 August and more recently on 11 November to discuss arrangements to deal with any possible outbreak of PDV in Irish seal populations.

I have previously acknowledged the excellent work done by the Irish Seal Sanctuary over the years in rehabilitating small numbers of seals and my officials continue to meet the members of the Irish Seal Sanctuary. However, given the limited resources available to my Department for wildlife conservation and protection, grant assistance in this area must realistically be targeted at projects which will maximise conservation prospects. I would advise that experience in the UK indicates that few if any seals sent for rehabilitation from PDV have survived. Given the abundant population of seals in Irish waters and the fact that to date seal species in Irish waters have not been endangered in conservation terms by PDV, I do not consider that funding of the Irish Seal Sanctuary facility by my Department can be justified in relation to the circumstances now obtaining.