Vol. 571 No. 4
509 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government when he expects the joint project to establish hare numbers throughout Ireland, referred to in Parliamentary Questions Nos. 285 and 286 of 1 April 2003, to be commenced. [22009/03]
A steering group comprising members of staff from my Department and from the environment and heri tage service of the Department of the Environment in Northern Ireland has been set up to draft an All-Ireland species action plan for the Irish hare. Work on drafting the species action plan commenced in June 2003. The species action plan is expected to be finalised by March 2004.
A survey to estimate hare numbers in Ireland is expected to be one of the strategies proposed in the action plan. Once the action plan has been finalised, implementation of the identified strategies will commence.
