Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 September 2022
184. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the consultative committee on urban gulls will consider the possibility of imposing fines for feeding seagulls in urban areas; if further culls of seagulls are being considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47177/22]
View answerThe Consultative Committee on Urban Gulls was convened to consider the impact of gulls in urban areas and appropriate actions to deal with such impacts, and have delivered their first interim report, a copy of which is available at the link below:
www.npws.ie/legislation/eu-directives/birds-directive/review-use-article-9-1-a-birds-directive-ireland
This report did not recommend the imposition of fines.
No permission has been sought or given for a cull of any gull species, and neither are there any plans to do so.
It should be noted that my Department does not own the urban gull population and is not responsible for the management of urban gull populations generally. In the case of gulls on private property, management is a matter for the relevant property owner. An individual may apply for a licence under Section 42 of the Wildlife Acts at any time of the year to take appropriate steps to stop serious damage being caused by a protected wild bird or animal. To date in 2022 my Department has received only one application for such a licence to remove a nest from a private residence.
Two Declarations, one general and one relating to air safety, reflect Article 9 of the Birds Directive and these will operate from 1 August 2022 to 30 April 2023. They are available on the NPWS website: www.npws.ie/legislation/eu-directives/birds-directive/eu-birds-directive-article-9-derogations.
