I wish to share my time with Senator Naughten.
Adjournment Matters. - Game and Habitat Development Grants.
Is that agreed? Agreed.
In view of our obligation under the Wildlife Act of 1976 to conserve wildlife, there is a need for the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht to consider providing the necessary funding for the reintroduction of game and habitat development grants. I thank the Minister for attending and I ask him and the Department to look at the possibility of reintroducing these grants or perhaps a new scheme to replace the one which was discontinued in 1983. The scheme applied to the planting of trees, the creation of ponds, the preservation of existing habitats, release programmes for game birds such as mallard and grey partridge, the purchase of habitats which may possess special potential for conservation and other related matters.
In the past the grant system was operated through regional game councils which have approximately 22,000 members throughout the country. They contribute some £600,000 to the Exchequer through firearms certificates and spend considerable sums of money breeding game birds, rehabilitating and developing woodlands and spinneys, controlling predators, etc.
While the councils are primarily concerned with ensuring a good stock of game birds such as mallards, pheasants and partridge, there is considerable benefit to the general rural environment. The presence of woodland, copses, ponds and bird life adds to the visual attraction of the countryside and the environment. An environment suited to game birds will also attract a wide variety of other species, from the more common such as thrushes, sparrows, wrens and finches to the less common such as barn owls, nightjars and redwings. Hundreds of insect species also thrive in these environments.
It is beneficial to the countryside that money is available for the development of these habitats. It is not only of benefit to people involved in regional game councils but to the population of the countryside as a whole.
About two weeks ago, while still Mayor of Limerick, I helped release mallards into a wetland area close to the heart of Limerick city called Westfields. It is being preserved as part of Limerick Corporation's overall planning in that area. A new bridge across the Shannon was built there some years ago, and a new link road connecting the west — Galway, Ennis and Shannon — with the Kerry and Cork area.
The wildlife preserve is beside that road and urban people have an opportunity to appreciate wildlife in its natural habitat, since it is a stone's throw from that busy road and a ten minute walk from the city centre. The mallard we released were bred by members of a local gun club at their own expense. They seemed to settle nicely into their new environment, although one tried to walk towards the road but turned back. The experts present said the ducks would keep away from the road and stay in the water to find the habitat suited to them.
I ask the Minister of State to convey to his colleague, the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht, the need to make grants available again for this purpose. They were in force up to 1983 and then discontinued. There is a good case for reintroducing them.
Mr. Naughten
I support Senator O'Sullivan in her quest for additional funding and activity by the Department to develop wildlife in our countryside. We are in a unique position now because the new concept of setaside means that a substantial amount of our good land is, unfortunately and regrettably, left idle and farmers are paid for this. Extensification grants provide that farmers are paid to cut down production, which also leaves more land available for the development of wildlife.
This may help to restore some of the game birds which previously thrived in these conditions but which have become extinct because of extra fertilisation and over stocking. The REPS scheme was recently announced by the Department and will also help create an environment for the development of wildlife throughout the country. It is, therefore, a pleasure to support the motion tabled by Senator O'Sullivan.
In my part of the country, the corncrake is fast becoming extinct because of farming developments over the last 20 years, such as the early cutting of silage. The corncrake did survive in the Shannon valley but because of the heavy flooding last year, many of the nests were wiped out. The partridge was also common in south Roscommon when I was young but is not seen any more. Grouse, woodcock and mallards have also declined.
Much work is necessary to restore those birds and rehabilitate the wildlife eliminated because of farming practices. Farmers were encouraged to increase production and develop their farms and much wildlife has been wiped out as a result. The setaside, extensification and REPS schemes give an opportunity to rehabilitate rural Ireland and create an environment where the birds can be reintroduced and regarded as a protected species until their numbers grow.
The Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Higgins, asked me to express his regret at his inability to be present to respond to Senator O'Sullivan and Senator Naughten. I will read the following statement on his behalf and as someone who served as Minister of State in this area for some months I am pleased to do so.
I understand the grants referred to by the Senator were first introduced in 1961 and withdrawn in 1983 because they were not effective in achieving their objective of maintaining game stocks and ensuring their survival. Since assuming responsibility for the formulation of policy for heritage, including wildlife, the Minister's first priority has been to put in place the necessary structures and legislation to protect our heritage.
The Heritage Council Bill, 1994, was recently published and will be receiving its Second Reading in this House tomorrow. That will provide for the establishment of a statutory corporation with functions to advise on all aspects of heritage, as well as having powers to cooperate with and provide assistance to any person or group in respect of proposals in the interests of our heritage.
The council will have a standing committee on wildlife, I will be looking to that committee to consider in depth what is required to protect our habitats and to come forward with ideas of how this objective can best be achieved. It is intended that any support measures will form part of an integrated programme and will not be dealt with on an ad hoc basis.
The Heritage Council Bill, 1994, is part of a package of legislative proposals the Minister is bringing before the Oireachtas. Last week there was an interesting Report Stage debate in this House on the National Monuments (Amendment) Bill, 1993. Apart from the Heritage Council Bill, the Department is working on a number of other measures, including a Bill on the National Museum and National Library, an amendment to the Wildlife Act, 1976, and a Bill on parks and heritage areas.
What Senator O'Sullivan is trying to achieve is broadly in line with the Minister's objectives. The Minister hopes she may acknowledge the wisdom of approaching the protection of our heritage in the structured and orderly way he is adopting.
I thank the Minister and I take a positive interpretation from that reply.