Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 March 2022
257. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount of funding provided to local authorities regarding hedgerow surveys to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12569/22]
View answerHedgerows are an integral part of landscapes in Ireland and play a key role in habitat connectivity as well as being important habitats in their own right. They support a variety of invertebrate, bird and mammal species, and are refuges for biodiversity in landscapes dominated by intensive agriculture.
Teagasc has undertaken hedgerow mapping on a national scale, and while no comprehensive national survey has been carried out to date, a number of Local Authorities have commissioned hedgerow surveys at county level.
My Department does not provide funding specifically for local authority hedgerow surveys but supports Local Authorities through the Local Biodiversity Action Fund, which provides funding for projects that contribute to the implementation of the National Biodiversity Action Plan.
