asked the Minister for Tourism, Fisheries and Forestry the funds available for EC sources for the protection of wildlife habitats; the amount of these funds availed of by him since we joined the EC; if any application is currently with the EC; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Protection of Wildlife Habitats.
35.
EC Council Regulation (No. 1872/84 of 28 June 1984), provides for Community grant aid of up to 50 per cent of the cost of projects aimed at the maintenance or restablishment of seriously threatened sites which are the habitat of endangered species of certain specified wild birds. The total fund available for such grand aid for the whole Community is 6.5 million ECU's (i.e. approximately IR£4.9 million) for the three years ending on 3 July 1987.
As the national agency responsible for receiving and forwarding applications for grants to the EC Commission under the regulation, my Department have successfully promoted four applications from the private sector for which grant aid of 250,500 ECU's or approximately IR£188,000, has recently been approved by the Commission.
There is no further application from this country awaiting consideration by the Commission at present but my Department are currently investigating the possibility of making an application in respect of an important wild bird habitat.