The next item on our agenda is a request from Deputy Naughten to note the damage done to natural fauna and flora in the special protection area of the Shannon Callows. I welcome the Deputy to the meeting.
Shannon Callows: Presentation.
I thank the Chairman and members of the joint committee for facilitating my request to discuss this important issue. The Shannon Callows is one of the most extensive flood plain grasslands in Europe but has the least observance of the natural wetland process. It covers approximately 6,000 acres in the five counties of Roscommon, Westmeath, Offaly, Galway and Tipperary. It incorporates two important bird habitats, the wet meadows where the corncrake breeds and the damp pasture which is used by waders such as snipe, lapwing and red shank.
The corncrake is often singled out as the most important species in the Shannon Callows. It is Ireland's only endangered species. The corncrake population appeared to be more or less stable until severe summer flooding disrupted breeding in May 2002, prior to which there were 58 calling male corncrakes but this number was reduced to 20. The middle Shannon Callows also qualifies as a site of international importance for wintering wildfowl. In the summer the site supports not only the corncrake but also important populations of breeding waders.
The flooding this summer led to nesting birds on the callows being wiped out. Unlike the corncrake which usually nests twice during the summer months, waders nest only once. As a consequence, birds already in decline failed to breed this year. This wet weather also proved disastrous for corncrakes, as they were pushed to higher ground as the river level rose. Many died when the higher ground also flooded. The number of calling male corncrakes in the Shannon Callows now stands at just 17. This demonstrates an almost 70% reduction in the corncrake population in the past five years.
In May 10,000 acres in an area from Carrick-on-Shannon to Lough Derg were flooded due to unexpected and unseasonal flooding on the Shannon Callows. This placed a significant financial burden on farmers who had come under significant pressure to try to locate fodder for their livestock. There are approximately 600 intensive sheep, suckler cow and dairy farmers in the Shannon Callows. However, the farmers concerned are fast becoming a sector which needs to be protected. It is important to point out that if they go, so too will the wild birds. The farmers maintain the Shannon Callows as an environment for these important species to thrive. I think the best example of the role played by farmers is where the farming community in the Burren supported the protection of that environment.
The principal problem is that the River Shannon has been untouched since the foundation of the State. Owing to the level of siltation, especially south of Athlone, water cannot travel as far as Meelick weir. There has been significant siltation due to development that has taken place along the banks of the river, including draining of land for forestry plantation, drainage of bogs by Bord na Móna, arterial drainage on tributaries by the Office of Public Works, OPW, and housing and other developments which have increased the volume and speed at which water enters the river.
The key steps that must be taken to address the problem include implementation of the River Shannon pre-feasibility report published by the Office of Public Works in 2004 and maintenance of the river by allocating an annual figure to remove silt from the Shannon waterway. The IFA recommends that the OPW pre-feasibility report be implemented, starting with the removal of silt between Banagher and Meelick weir where 50% of the total work required on the river needs to take place. In tandem, we need an ongoing maintenance programme along the river. We also need to allocate funding to local authorities in the region to ensure roads prone to flooding are raised to allow access to isolated communities during flood periods. We need more evaluations of the impact of the run-off from developments on flood plains and water volumes. It is also imperative that any debris along the river be removed, especially that which can be removed by Waterways Ireland and the ESB in the vicinity of weirs.
A proposal to establish a national wetlands wilderness park in the north midlands was made during a presentation to the Joint Committee on Environment and Local Government in July 2005. Such a wilderness park would help to alleviate flooding in the Shannon basin by extending the flood plain to a potential extra 18,000 acres just north of Lough Ree. This would naturally flood up to 4.5 m. in depth and thereby alleviate flooding in the scientifically important Shannon Callows to the south of Athlone.
I respectfully suggest that when a time slot becomes available the OPW be called to outline the proposals for its pre-feasibility report and that at the same time BirdWatch Ireland and the IFA make a presentation on the way forward.
I thank the Chairman and members for providing this forum.
I thank the Deputy. Have these recommendations been presented to the relevant Departments and local authorities?
The Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works met the IFA in Birr, County Offaly, to discuss the pre-feasibility report in the past fortnight. This committee is working with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government on the wetlands wilderness park. The ESB and Waterways Ireland are trying as best they can to carry out maintenance works on the river. Local authorities made requests to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government for funding to raise roads prone to flooding but have been unsuccessful to date.
I thank Deputy Naughten for briefing the committee on the issue. What is the next step?
The Deputy has introduced the subject. We should be able to call on the OPW and BirdWatch Ireland to come before the committee.
I support Deputy Naughten's suggestion that we proceed along those lines.
Deputy Naughten made an excellent presentation. He deserves great credit for the clear-cut case he has made. I am neutral as my constituency is a long distance from the River Shannon but I support his call to have this work done.
I thank Deputy Naughten. We will continue to pursue the matter and invite the interested parties to come before the committee.