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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 1 Jul 1999

Vol. 507 No. 4

Adjournment Debate. - Wildlife Preservation

It never ceases to amaze me how indifferent we are to the preservation of wildlife, in particular of endangered species, and of wildlife habitats. This is why I am raising this matter on the Adjournment. It is necessary to have more evaluation of REPS which is operated under the Department of Agriculture and Food to see how environmentally effective it is. No environmental impact study was done on measure five of the scheme before it was introduced by the Department and no such study has been carried out since in spite of the huge damage being done to natural habitats, wildlife and the landscape in general. It is amazing that we are paying people to destroy our heritage. Hedgerows in particular are as important a part of our heritage as listed buildings. We have so much wildlife that we have a very careless and indifferent attitude to it. Much of what we have is being destroyed through pure indifference. On Question Time I have repeatedly asked the Minister to do something about this before it is too late. I am sure we have lost quite a number of wildlife species which are irreplaceable. We do not have the means of tracing what we have saved and what we have lost. In time to come we will deeply regret the loss.

Hedgerows are the most obvious habitats. I have been told that quite a number of hedgerows date to the 18th, 17th and even 16th centuries. Under measure five of REPS, for example, people are encouraged to destroy hedgerows. It seems absolutely preposterous, but this is what I have been told. I ask the Minister to do something to stop this from happening.

Currently hedgerows are being cut and destroyed. I drive from Waterford to Dublin and back each week and see hedgerows being cut in May and June. Hedgerows are the habitats for birds which are nesting and breeding. They are being cut along the roads and elsewhere. For years I have been campaigning and I thought I was quite successful in getting local authorities to desist from cutting hedgerows during the nesting season. By and large most local authorities are desisting, but in last Friday's newspapers I read that Birdwatch in Limerick reported that hedgerows in County Limerick were being cut, partic ularly on the R512 from Limerick to Kilmallock. This report was dated 25 June.

I am not an expert on the matter, but from my observation birds such as pigeons nest from February while pheasants and migrant birds such as sand martins nest until the end of July. It is not good enough that these birds are not being protected. I specifically raise this issue so the Minister can do something about it. I see nesting activity still taking place in my garden, therefore, it must be taking place throughout the country. Perhaps the Minister will tell us of her intentions in this matter.

I thank Deputy Deasy for raising this matter. In the absence of native woodlands, hedgerows form important features in maintaining wildlife diversity, particularly for birds. The commonest nesting birds found in hedgerows, such as wrens, bunnocks, robins and willow warblers, depend almost entirely on insects during the summer months. In general untrimmed thorned hedgerows containing species such as blackthorn, whitethorn and holly are favoured by birds as they serve as a protection against predators.

Many of Ireland's important wildlife species are associated with traditional low intensity, mixed farming. This, combined with the retention of semi-natural habitats, provides a wide range of niches and food resources. Modern farming threatens these micro-habitats. I am hopeful that my programme for the designation of natural heritage areas – NHAs – together with the rural environment protection scheme – REPS – to which the Deputy referred and which is administered by my colleague, the Minister for Agriculture and Food, will go a long way towards protecting these types of habitats. Measures are provided in both of these programmes to maintain existing features which make up farmland habitat "mosaics", such as hedgerows, field edges, areas of scrub and unmanaged vegetation, drainage ditches etc., which are so valuable to farmland birds and animals.

We need public education and encouragement to shoulder responsibility in these matters. As to the legal position, measures preventing the burning and destruction of vegetation are covered under the Wildlife Act, 1976. The Deputy will be aware that at present, section 40 of the Wildlife Act, 1976, provides protection against the cutting, grubbing and burning of hedgerows on uncultivated land during the nesting season from 15 April to 31 August, subject to certain exceptions. In the forthcoming Wildlife Bill, these restrictions will apply from 1 April rather than 15 April and will remove any doubt that the destruction of vegetation growing in hedges or ditches during this specified period is prohibited. It also stipulates that works, other than on roads or construction works, done under the authority of any Minister or body established by statute, such as a public body or local authority, that lead to the destruction of vegetation may only be carried out during the specified period for reasons of public health and safety. There is a new provision to enable me to request from the relevant Minister or body details of any such works, together with a statement of the public health and safety factors involved. An exemption is provided for the destruction of vegetation in order to stop the spread of fires or for other emergency purposes.

This year, as in previous years, Dúchas, the heritage service of my Department, has written to all local authorities requesting that works to hedgerows be undertaken outside that crucial nesting period. Provisions are made within these sections for certain exceptions necessary for agriculture, forestry and other developments. In addition, under article 10 of the habitats directive member states are obliged in their land use development policies to encourage the management of features of the landscape which are of major importance for wildlife. An example of this are hedgerows which act as ecological corridors for the movement of wildlife.

It is widely accepted that the most effective way to conserve wildlife is through habitat protection and management. There are limited resources available and it is necessary to be highly selective when determining priorities and managing resources for wildlife conservation. The main actions being undertaken by me and my colleagues are as follows: research and monitoring of priority habitats and species; proposed designation of natural heritage areas; designation of special protection areas for wild birds under the birds directive; and specific protection measures, for example, the corncrake grant scheme.

The Department of the Environment and Local Government has underlined in its guidance notes to local authorities on the Roads Act, 1993, and its road grants memorandum the importance of carrying out roadside trimming during the winter season and that the timing of trimming work and the manner of its execution should minimise damage to the ecology of hedgerows.

In relation to agriculture, the REP scheme, administered by my colleague, the Minister for Agriculture and Food, also promotes the conservation and maintenance of existing features which make up farmland habitats such as hedgerows. Under measure four of REPS farmers must not remove habitats such as field boundaries, margins, woodlands, wetlands, natural and semi-natural vegetation, or damage any of these features on their farms. Under measure five farmers have to carry out specified maintenance or repair work on hedgerows in the interest of wildlife.

Furthermore, under the national biodiversity plan I am preparing some possible measures to improve the conservation of hedgerows. I intend to afford further consideration to those measures in the context of the finalisation of the plan. In addition, the Deputy will be aware that I published today the Wildlife (Amendment) Bill, 1999, which includes provision to strengthen the protective regime relating to the cutting of hedgerows during the critical bird nesting period. The Bill includes a requirement that hedgerows may only be cut during that period by public bodies, including local authorities, for reasons of public health or safety. I look forward to debating these provisions of the Wildlife (Amendment) Bill, 1999, with the Deputy and other Members when the matter comes before the House.

Acting Chairman

The remaining two Adjournment matters relating to partnership boards will be taken together. Each Deputy will have five minutes and the Minister will have ten minutes to reply.

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