Finian McGrath
Ceist:1253 Mr. F. McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government if there has been a disappearance of sparrows since the introduction of plastic bags and wheelie bins for household waste. [19775/03]
Written Answers. - Waste Disposal.
In examining population trends in wild bird populations, priority has been given in the past to rare, localised and threatened species. Over the past five years the countryside bird survey, managed by BirdWatch Ireland with funding from my Department, has taken steps to build up a base of scientific data on population numbers of our commoner breeding species.
There is insufficient data at present to establish whether the house sparrow has declined in Ireland. In time the countryside bird survey project will identify such trends on a national scale but it will require further research to identify causes of any declines in particular species. Many species even in quite pristine environments experience cyclical variations in their populations extending over several years.
Any perception that house sparrows may have declined in some localities here could be misleading in the absence of firm data. I understand that in Britain a decline in house sparrows varies regionally and there is also an urban-rural variation. The causes of such changes are complex and are unlikely to be due solely to methods of disposal of domestic waste.