Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 May 2015
89. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason the Irish red grouse is not included as a priority bird species under the green low-carbon agri-environment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18924/15]
View answerMy Department followed the advice of the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in designing the Bird actions under GLAS. The Red Grouse is not one of the birds listed as a specific environmental priority asset but as a bird of the uplands, it will benefit from the grazing management plans introduced for commonages. On areas outside of commonages where the National Parks and Wildlife Services have designated Grouse habitat as Special Protection Areas, a Sustainable Management Plan must be prepared and submitted for the area as part of the GLAS application which must in turn take account of the needs of the bird.
