Planning permission exemptions for rooftop solar panels on homes and other buildings proposed

Planning permission exemptions for rooftop solar panels on homes and other buildings proposed

  • Houses regardless of location, will soon be able to install solar panels on their roofs without any requirement for planning permission
  • Exemptions proposed for the first time for solar rooftops of homes and buildings like community and educational buildings, places of worship, health buildings, libraries and farms
  • Exemptions for certain wall-mounted and free-standing solar panel installations proposed to be increased to 60 square metres

The Minister of State for Planning and Local Government, Peter Burke, TD, has published proposed revisions to the existing planning exemptions for the installation of solar panels on the roofs of houses and certain non-domestic buildings.  A public consultation as part of the Strategic Environmental Assessment process is now open and will run until 13 July. The proposed changes are aimed at increasing Ireland’s generation of solar energy and national action on climate change.  

Commenting on the draft regulations, Minister Burke T.D said:

“These draft regulations will help facilitate the rollout of rooftop solar energy across the country. They will enable individuals, communities, businesses and farms to play their part in creating a future fuelled by renewable energy and acting against climate change. They will help people and businesses to reduce their energy bills and increase Ireland’s energy security, a major challenge given developments in Europe and the need to rapidly reduce dependence on Russian fossil fuels.” 

Under the draft regulations the following is proposed:

  • For solar panel installations on houses: it is proposed to increase the existing planning exemptions for installing solar panels on rooftops of homes, regardless of their geographical location. Solar installations will be able to cover the entire roof of a house, subject to minor setback distances from the edge of the roof.
  • For solar panel installations on rooftops of all other existing classes of development (Industrial; Light Industrial and Business Premises; Agricultural): rooftop solar installations covering the entire roof are proposed to be exempt from requiring planning permission. However, in 43 proposed solar safeguarding zones, the existing exemption of 50 square metres or less is proposed to be increased to 60 square metres per building. These proposed solar safeguarding zones, which constitute less than 3% of the country’s land area, are necessary to address aviation safety concerns due to the potential impact of glint and glare arising from increased solar developments in proximity to sites such as airports and hospitals (which have helipads). Anyone seeking to avail of larger rooftop solar installations within solar safeguarding zones can apply for planning permission.
  • Apartments; educational/community/religious/health/recreational buildings and libraries: for the first time, it is proposed to exempt the installation of solar panels on the rooftops of such buildings from requiring planning permission, subject to conditions and the rooftop area limit in proposed solar safeguarding zones.
  • Exemptions for wall-mounted and free-standing solar panel installations: free-standing solar panel installations for houses are exempted from the requirement to obtain planning permission subject to a 25 square metre area limit and conditions requiring a certain amount of private open space to be maintained for the use of occupants. The exempted area for all other categories except apartments is proposed to be increased to 60 square metres.  In addition, wall mounted solar installations of 60 square metres will also be exempted for industrial and agricultural buildings.

Minister Burke added:

“Houses, regardless of location, will soon be able to install solar panels on their roofs without any requirement for planning permission, which I know will be very welcome to many homeowners.  Draft proposals for community/educational/religious buildings will also give institutions such as schools a greater opportunity to reduce their energy bills. By proposing these increased exemptions we are bringing exemptions into line with our renewables ambitions and helping people to play their part in climate action and to reduce their energy bills. 

“In finalising these regulations we will implement an important commitment in the Programme for Government and will help us meet the targets set out in the Government’s Climate Action Plan.”

ENDS

Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage Press Office

Tel: (01) 888 2638 (direct)

Email: press@housing.gov.ie

Website: gov.ie/housing

Twitter: @DeptHousingIRL

June 22, 2022

Serious Concerns Over Pacific Pink Salmon in Irish Waters

Serious Concerns Over Pacific Pink Salmon in Irish Waters

  • NASCO has raised concerns about the potential for spread and establishment of Pacific pink salmon in rivers throughout the North Atlantic region
  • Inland Fisheries Ireland issues an urgent appeal for anglers to remove and report any catches

Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI), the state agency responsible for the conservation and protection of freshwater fish and habitats, is issuing an alert for reports of any sightings of Pacific pink salmon.

At the recently held North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation (NASCO) meeting, serious concerns were raised that pink salmon may spread to and establish in rivers throughout the wider Atlantic region. These concerns are raised after an explosive growth in their stocks was observed in northernmost Norwegian rivers in 2021.

In some rivers there, pink salmon now appear to outnumber co-existing native Atlantic salmon stocks despite having persisted at relatively low levels for many decades prior to this.  Stocking programmes undertaken in rivers in the adjacent far northwest of Russia since the 1950s until 2001 are believed to be responsible for the initial spread of pink salmon to the region.  Since 2017, the fish has been increasingly detected in unprecedented numbers in river systems and coastal areas of the North Atlantic, including Ireland, albeit at relatively low levels here to date.

Also known as humpback salmon, pink salmon are a migratory species of salmon, native to river systems in the northern Pacific Ocean and nearby regions of the Bering Sea and Arctic Ocean. Although a single specimen was first recorded in Ireland in 1973, until 2017 individuals have been rarely encountered here. As pink salmon predominantly have a two-year lifecycle, there is potential for the species to reappear in Irish rivers again in 2023 and every second so called ‘odd’ year thereafter.  However, they can also turn up in ‘even’ years and a single specimen was reported in the River Suir in 2018.

Members of NASCO, of which Ireland is an active participant under the auspices of the European Union, have now agreed to cooperate to better understand the threats posed to native Atlantic salmon stocks and consider appropriate mitigation measures to address this increasingly concerning issue.

Francis O’Donnell CEO of Inland Fisheries Ireland said: “We are appealing to anglers and the general public to remain vigilant and report the presence of any Pacific pink salmon encountered in Irish river systems. The threat of pink salmon means that our already critically endangered Atlantic salmon are on the verge of a very serious ecological crisis. The species is already under threat from declining water quality, loss of habitat, and the impacts of sea lice and salmon farm escapes on native stocks. We will have to consider robust mitigation measures that may prove costly and labour intensive.”

Dr Cathal Gallagher, Head of Research and Development at Inland Fisheries Ireland said: “The sudden increase in pink salmon stocks in northern Norway seen in 2021 and increased reporting of this non-native species in Irish rivers in recent years is of particular concern to IFI.  The presence of large numbers of pink salmon in Irish rivers could negatively impact some of our native species such as Atlantic salmon and sea trout as well as estuarine and coastal marine fish species and their associated ecosystems.  Despite only very limited information being currently available to comprehensively assess such threats, climatic and environmental conditions in Ireland are considered amenable to facilitate the potential establishment of Pacific pink salmon populations in our river systems.”

Inland Fisheries Ireland is appealing to anglers to report catches of pink salmon to Inland Fisheries Ireland’s 24-hour confidential hotline number – 0818 34 74 24 or 0818 FISH 24. As these fish die after spawning, some dead specimens could also be encountered along Irish rivers.  Anyone who catches a pink salmon is asked to:

  • Keep the fish and do not release it back into the water (even in rivers only open for catch and release angling)
  • Record the date & location of capture, and the length and weight of the fish
  • Report it to any IFI office or via the 24-hour confidential hotline number – 0818 34 74 24 or 0818 FISH 24
  • Tag the fish and present it to Inland Fisheries Ireland and a new tag will be issued to replace the tag used
  • Take a photograph of the fish.

Inland Fisheries Ireland will then arrange collection of the fish for further examination. This will help establish the abundance and extent of distribution of the species in Irish waters.

ENDS

For media information:

Sadhbh O’Neill

Communications

Inland Fisheries Ireland

E: sadhbh.oneill@fisheriesireland.ie

T: 087 1019998

Photo Captions

Photo one: Pacific Pink Salmon 1- Mature male pink salmon with characteristic humpback and spotted tail (photo credit: Eva Thorstad, NINA).

Photo two: Pacific Pink Salmon 2- A Pacific pink salmon (photo credit:  Ola Ugeda).

 

June 22, 2022

Currane Anglers are needed for Citizen Science survey to examine fish stock

Currane Anglers are needed for Citizen Science survey to examine fish stock

Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI), the state agency responsible for the conservation and protection of freshwater fish, habitats and sea angling resources is asking anglers who have fished the Currane catchment in Co. Kerry for their views. A new online survey has been developed to gather anglers’ knowledge – the survey method called FLEKSI was developed by IFI to help give an insight into the status of the fishery.

Over recent decades populations of sea trout and salmon throughout Ireland are facing serious challenges from various ecological changes. IFI’s Currane STAMP programme is already assessing fish populations within their freshwater and marine phases to report current status and provide scientific advice to support the development of appropriate conservation management measures. 

The data gathered in the FLEKSI survey has the potential for citizens to get involved and provide important insights to guide fisheries management in the future. This survey is for all anglers who fish in the Currane catchment for various species. all responses will help us to build an understanding of the history and ecological status of your fishery.

FLEKSI, which stands for Fisher’s Local Ecological Knowledge Surveillance Indicators aims to capture anglers’ knowledge and hands-on experience to help track changes in fish stocks and ecosystems.

Dr William Roche, a Senior Research Officer with Inland Fisheries Ireland and manager of the STAMP project said: ‘Anglers are keen observers of nature and are aware of changes within their fisheries. We are looking for anglers to share their knowledge and contribute to the conservation and management of this important sea‑trout and salmon fishery. The Currane fishery is particularly highly regarded by anglers, but there is grave concern about the health of its fish stocks in recent years. By capturing these observations, which inevitably span an individual angler’s entire angling career, we believe their unique insight into the fisheries environment will help us to track and understand changes in Currane’s sea trout stocks and the ecosystem as a whole.’ 

The Currane catchment in Co. Kerry is Ireland’s most important sea trout fishery, with a long history of high-quality fishing, particularly for larger sea trout. The fishery is renowned internationally and has been the cornerstone of sea trout and salmon fishing in the southwest of the country since the 1900s.  The FLEKSI survey will give anglers on the Currane catchment an exciting opportunity to share their knowledge as citizen scientists and to make a valuable contribution towards fisheries management on the fishery.

If you fish the Currane system, please fill out the following survey here: https://www.fisheriesireland.ie/currane-anglers-survey-2022.

 

Each participant also can opt to enter into a prize draw for angling tackle, with one €200 voucher and one €100 voucher to be won.

ENDS

For media information:

Sadhbh O’Neill

Communications

Inland Fisheries Ireland

E : sadhbh.oneill@fisheriesireland.ie   

T : 087 1019998

May 31, 2022

€700,000 to Support the Return of Agricultural Shows in 2022

€700,000 to Support the Return of Agricultural Shows in 2022

Minister Humphreys announces €700,000 to support the return of Agricultural Shows in 2022

  • Funding to support shows in Rural Ireland that were impacted by Pandemic
  • Return of Shows to provide big boost to rural economies this Summer

 The Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, has announced €700,000 in funding to support Agricultural Shows taking place over the coming months.

The Minister made the announcement during a keynote address at the Tullamore Show and FBD National Livestock Show Sponsors Night on Wednesday.

 Announcing the funding, Minister Humphreys said:

 “For over two and a half years, we lost something that really sums up everything that is good about rural Ireland.

“As Minister for Rural and Community Development, I know that our Shows are intrinsically linked to that sense of community that Rural Ireland is all about.

“It is fantastic to see the return of our Shows this summer and I am particularly pleased to announce funding of €700,000 will be made available by my Department to support our Show Committees the length and breadth of the country.”

 Minister Humphreys added:

 “I believe it is of vital importance to our rural communities that we support the efforts of the show committees and the work of their volunteers. I hope that this funding will help put the shows on a firmer financial footing and provide vital support to the committees. I’m delighted to support the Irish Shows Association and like many others I look forward to getting out and about and visiting our Shows this summer.”

 The shows are key dates in the rural calendar and central points for the agri-food industry, farming community and local artisan producers. Key dates over the coming weeks include Middleton (29th May), Belgooly (4th June), Ballyconneely Performance Pony Show (4th June), Ennistymon (5th June), Westport Horse and Pony Show (6th June), Leap Horse and Pony Show (6th June), Ballivor Horse Show (12th June), Dundalk (12th June), Claregalway (12th June), Ballinalee Connemara Pony Show (12th June) and Clonakilty (12th June).

Minister Humphreys also wished the organisers of the Tullamore Show well as they prepare for the return of the popular event on August 14th.

Welcoming the announcement, Catherine Gallagher, National President Irish Shows Association stated:

“As National President of the Irish Shows Association I warmly welcome Minister Heather Humphreys’ and her Department’s continuing support with 125 shows set to benefit. There is no doubt costs have increased this year, it’s great to have this support and we are also grateful for the support the Department gave us through the pandemic. The showing season has already started and I have attended four shows and the feedback from committees is their entries have doubled and the attendance has greatly increased. The sense of anticipation is palpable and from my experience to date I have no doubt this year will be very busy for committees up and down the country. The upcoming events will add a little colour to the summer”

ENDS

Image: Pictured with Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys TD, Tullamore Show Secretary Chelsey Cox McDonald and Chairperson, Joseph Molly at the 2022 Tullamore Show Sponsor Night.

Editors Notes

The Department of Rural and Community Development funding is administered by the Irish Shows Association (ISA). The ISA is the official recognised body representing Irish Agricultural Shows on the island of Ireland. It has more than 130 affiliated agricultural shows, which run throughout the summer and into the autumn each year. A full listing of participating Shows is published online https://www.irishshows.org/home

 

May 27, 2022

Ministers announce Ambitious New Strategic Action Plan for the National Parks and Wildlife Service

Ministers announce Ambitious New Strategic Action Plan for the National Parks and Wildlife Service

Plan will see an additional €55 million invested in renewing the NPWS and the early recruitment of 60 key staff

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Darragh O’Brien TD and Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform Malcolm Noonan TD have published a Strategic Action Plan for the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) following Government approval. The Plan sets out an ambitious timeline for a full organisational restructuring of the NPWS, and a substantial €55m additional investment in the organisation across three budgetary cycles, together with the early recruitment of 60 key staff for critically important roles.

Launching the Strategic Action Plan in Ballykeeffe Nature Reserve in Co. Kilkenny, Minister Noonan said:

“The renewal of the National Parks and Wildlife Service is the keystone action in this Government’s response to the biodiversity emergency and I’m announcing a suite of strategic actions to transform the organisation, which have now been approved at Cabinet. 

“I’m delighted to confirm that the NPWS will be established as an Executive Agency, giving it a strong identity and voice to speak for nature. Its internal structures will be overhauled, delivering a stronger focus on external engagement and delivery of outcomes. New Directorates, organised along functional lines, will benefit from the early recruitment of 60 key staff for critically important roles. 

“I’ve already increased NPWS funding to €47m in 2022 – a total increase of 64% since I became Minister – bringing it back up to a level not seen since before the financial crisis. Today, I’m proud to announce that Government has endorsed future underpinning investment of up to €55m over the coming three budgetary cycles to realise this plan”

This funding commitment will enable the NPWS to embrace Ireland’s ambitions for nature and help us begin to turn the tide on biodiversity loss.”

This Strategic Action Plan aims to deliver an NPWS that is more resilient, better resourced, and better equipped to play its part in Ireland’s response to the biodiversity emergency, on the national and international stage. The Plan will equip the NPWS with the organisational capability and supporting structures to enable it to deliver its mandate in protecting our natural heritage.

Launching the plan, Minister Darragh O’Brien said:

“The NPWS has a proud history, and despite being a relatively small organisation of some four hundred people, carries a complex range of responsibilities, ranging from significant policy and advisory functions, to operational responsibilities in our National Parks, conservation, enforcement, licensing, biodiversity protection and as a statutory consultee on planning. 

It is vital that we have a resilient and effective NPWS to perform all of those functions. I am very pleased that we now have Government approval for this Strategic Action Plan, which will provide the momentum to build on the very significant gains which, working with the Minister of State, I have been able to secure for the organisation in the past two budgets, bringing its funding, for the first time since the financial crisis, back to pre-2008 levels. I am happy too for the dedicated and expert team who have sustained the NPWS through so many years – with the implementation of this Strategic Action Plan, the future of the NPWS looks bright.”

Minister Noonan added:

“I would like to thank the more than three thousand people who contributed to this vitally important review process – members of the public, stakeholders, and NPWS staff themselves. I would especially like to commend the independent authors whose work the Action Plan is designed to implement – Professor Jane Stout of Trinity College Dublin and Dr Micheal Ó Cinnéide, who delivered first phase of the Review, and former Secretary General Gerry Kearney, who completed the concluding phases. Our Strategic Action Plan is the considered outcome of their deliberations and of all your input.”

Today’s announcement fulfils an important commitment in the Programme for Government, providing for a significant investment in, and a renewal of, the National Parks and Wildlife Service. This renewal is underpinned by a comprehensive, expert review of the organisation, which has now been completed by independent authors. The Strategic Action Plan is designed to implement and deliver upon the recommendations made by the review, which are as follows:

Governance 

  1. Establish the NPWS as an executive agency within a Government department.
    2. Change the NPWS internal structure, so that it is fit to meet current and future challenges.
    3. Reconfigure the top management team within the restructured NPWS.
    4. Establish permanent standing committees, on a cross-functional basis across the new directorates, to address longstanding, multifaceted, complex matters.

People

  1. Fundamentally overhaul and improve HR capability and practice within NPWS.
    6. Set up an expert group, drawing on international expertise in organisations with a similar remit to the NPWS, to establish the human resourcing requirement of the NPWS on an international, best-practice basis.

Legal

  1. Bring forward legislation to provide updated and stronger, statutory underpinnings for our National Parks and the work of the NPWS in protecting and conserving threatened and endangered animals, plants and habitats in the State.

Communications and ICT

  1. Overhaul and fundamentally transform the way NPWS communicates, both internally and externally.
    9. Put in place a new, renewed and improved programme of Engagement, Awareness and Education by NPWS.
    10. Transform ICT. The CIO Office in the Department of Housing Local Government and Heritage has brought forward a four staged process and pathway to transform ICT within NPWS and over the next three years.

Other recommendations

  1. Consider a wider examination of the remits of the broader constellation of State actors with significant responsibilities in relation to Biodiversity and Climate action.
    12. NPWS should engage with other public bodies operating alongside it in the wider sector, to help ensure that each is playing its own part, according to its remit and responsibilities, and fulfilling its statutory responsibilities in relation to the protection of nature and biodiversity.
    13. Recruit  to a number of key  posts in NPWS immediately, additional to the filling of current vacancies, where these are needed to mitigate critical risks to the interests of the State.
    14. Conduct an assessment of the grading of technical and regional posts by reference to comparable posts across the Irish public service.
    15. Establish a new Engagement, Corporate and Specialist supports directorate.

The priority recruitment of 60 staff in key roles including rangers, scientists, general operatives and key managerial, HR specialists commences as a matter of urgency following this Government decision.

The Strategic Action Plan and accompanying documents can be found at:

https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/fbb81-national-parks-and-wildlife-service-strategic-action-plan-and-review

ENDS

 

Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage Press Office

Tel: (01) 888 2638 (direct)

Email: press@housing.gov.ie

Website: gov.ie/housing

Twitter: @DeptHousingIRL

May 4, 2022

New €15 million Community Centre Fund

New €15 million Community Centre Fund

Grants of between €10,000 and €300,000 available for upgrade and refurbishment works to Community Centres

The Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, recently announced a new €15 million capital fund to support community groups for the upgrade and refurbishment of Community Centres.  This is an investment in both rural and urban communities across the Country.

The Community Centres Investment Fund will support community groups with the upgrade and development of their Community Centre facilities.

Funding will be available under 3 Categories with grants of between €10k and €300K available:

Category 1: Small scale projects/improvements to facilities – €10,000 to €25,000.

Category 2: Larger scale projects – €25,001 to €100,000.

Category 3: Major projects- €100,001 to €300,000.

Applications under Category 2 and 3 must include a minimum contribution of 5% of the total project costs from the applicants own funds.

Funding is available for capital works such as: –

  • Works to improve communal facilities such as kitchen and toilet facilities
  • Energy retrofitting, new windows / doors / heating systems
  • Upgrades to lighting systems and stage areas
  • Works to address safety concerns, including as a result of fire safety audits
  • Works to improve disability access
  • Improvements to assist in providing additional or better services to the community such as Meals for the Elderly & youth facilities
  • Works to develop Community Centres as Social Hubs through the development of Community Cinemas, Youth Hubs and Community Libraries
  • Essential maintenance works, repairs to roof, etc

There will be a two-stage application process with applicants asked to register their organisation in advance of the formal application process going live.

Registration will open on Tuesday 3rd May 2022, applicants need to register as ‘users’ on the portal in advance of the application process opening on Tuesday 7th June 2022. The closing date for applications is Thursday 14th July 2022.

The Department will be hosting a number of online information events in May and June 2022 to provide guidance in relation to the application process and details will be released in due course.

Guidelines and a sample application form are now available at www.gov.ie/drcd.

Community Groups are urged to familiarise themselves with the application process and criteria well in advance of submitting their application.

Announcing the funding today, Minister Humphreys said:

“Community Centres are at the heart of every community in Ireland, rural and urban.

“We need places for people to meet up, to play sport and engage in all sorts of activities whether it is meals for the elderly, indoor soccer or basketball, or providing a space for the local dramatic society to perform.

“This new fund is about supporting them to carry out vital upgrade works as well as enhancing the services and amenities they can provide to persons of all ages in their community.

“I am encouraging all community groups to look at this fund and think about how they can use it to improve their own local parish hall or community centre. Do you need new windows or doors? Does the stage or sound system need to be upgraded? Could you look at developing space for a Youth Hub or Community Cinema?

“Community Centres are all about bringing people together in a locality. As Minister, I want to ensure Community Centres continue to be at the heart of our local parishes, towns and villages.

 Also welcoming the Funding, Minister of State Joe O’Brien TD said:

“The newly announced Community Centres Investment Fund, will play a large part in supporting the development of Community Centres throughout the country both in rural and urban areas, allowing people to engage with their communities and the supports available. That is why I am committed to supporting the Community & Voluntary sector to maximise its impact in communities throughout Ireland.”

 ENDS

Contact:

The Department of Rural and Community Development Press Office

076-1006843 / 087-1734633

Press.office@drcd.gov.ie

 

 

 

 

April 26, 2022

Lough Sheelin anglers invited to be part of a new Citizen Science project

Lough Sheelin anglers invited to be part of a new Citizen Science project

Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI), the state agency responsible for the conservation and protection of freshwater fish, habitats and sea angling resources, is launching a new survey that will tap into the knowledge of trout anglers in Lough Sheelin. The survey will use a method developed by IFI called FLEKSI, which will help to track ecological changes through local knowledge.

The new survey method named FLEKSI, which stands for Fisher’s Local Ecological Knowledge Surveillance Indicators, will feature questions for anglers about their trout catch and about different aspects of the fishery now compared with when they started fishing on the lake. Anglers spend many hours outside observing nature and the fish they catch. IFI recognizes that this accumulated local ecological knowledge is valuable and has potential for citizen science that can provide important insights for fisheries management into the future.

Wild brown trout are well-known to feed opportunistically on seasonal gluts of prey, especially swarms of insects, such as mayflies, midges, sedge-flies, etc. To select artificial flies and lures that “match the hatch”—mimicking prey that trout are feeding on—trout anglers closely observe the lake environment and its wildlife throughout the angling season.

Dr Samuel Shephard, a Senior Research Officer with Inland Fisheries Ireland and one of the developers of the FLEKSI method said: ‘We know how important anglers are as stewards of our fisheries resource and how attuned they are to changes in the lake environment from year to year. Anglers develop in-depth knowledge about their local lake fisheries over their angling career which can provide an important resource for fisheries science. With this new survey we want to use this unique insight to help track changes in Lough Sheelin’s trout stocks and ecosystems.’

Lough Sheelin located in Co. Cavan is one of Ireland’s most important wild brown trout fisheries, with a history of dramatic environmental changes over the last 40 years. The FLEKSI survey will give trout anglers on Lough Sheelin an exciting opportunity to share their knowledge as citizen scientists and to make a valuable contribution towards fisheries management on the lake.

If you fish for trout on Lough Sheelin, please take the opportunity to share your knowledge by following the link here: https://www.fisheriesireland.ie/fleksi-survey-sheelin-anglers-2022

Each participant also has the opportunity to enter into a prize draw for angling tackle, with one €200 voucher and two €100 vouchers to be won.

About Inland Fisheries Ireland (www.fisheriesireland.ie)

Inland Fisheries Ireland is a statutory body operating under the aegis of the Department of Environment, Climate and Communication (DECC) and was established under the Fisheries Act on 1st July 2010. Its principal function is the protection and conservation of the inland fisheries resource. Inland Fisheries Ireland promotes supports, facilitates and advises the Minister on the conservation, protection, management, development and improvement of inland fisheries, including sea angling. Inland Fisheries Ireland also develops policy and national strategies relating to inland fisheries and sea angling and advises the Minister on same (fisheriesireland.ie).

 

April 12, 2022

Corncrake LIFE: new €5.9m EU-funded conservation project aims to deliver a 20% increase in Corncrake population  

Corncrake LIFE: new €5.9m EU-funded conservation project aims to deliver a 20% increase in Corncrake population  

A new €5.9m EU-funded LIFE project overseen by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage was launched in Gort a Choirce in Co. Donegal last Friday March 25th by Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform Malcolm Noonan TD and Minister of State with responsibility for land use and biodiversity at the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine Pippa Hackett TD. The project aims to revive the fortunes of the corncrake and ensure it remains a part of rural landscapes for years to come.

The project team will operate at coastal and island locations in Donegal, Mayo and Galway as well as associated farmland. Over a five-year period, Corncrake LIFE will work collaboratively with farmers and landowners to improve the landscape for the highly endangered bird.  Measures will includes creating and maintaining areas of early and late cover, wildlife friendly mowing of grass, provision of refuge areas during meadow harvesting and incentivising later cutting dates. By the end of the five year project, the aim is to deliver a 20% increase on the 2018 population of Corncrake recorded in Ireland.

Locally-based field officers will provide guidance, direction and support to landowners while community engagement officers will work with stakeholders to establish the corncrake as an asset to the areas it frequents. Knowledge exchange groups and targeted schools programmes will be utilized to highlight the needs of the corncrake and create awareness of its endangerment.

The project is collaborating with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, Údarás na Gaeltachta and Fota Wildlife Park and will explore innovations such as flushing bars fitted to tractors to scare birds away from mowers, thermal imaging drones to find nests, and passive acoustic monitoring using high-tech microphones in an attempt to help locate the highly elusive birds.

Corncrake is a species listed for special protection under Annex 1 of the EU Birds Directive. Once synonymous with the Irish countryside, the population of Corncrake has declined by 85% since the 1970s, with a similar decrease in range, meaning that the species is now effectively confined to Connacht and Donegal, including offshore islands. Supporting Corncrake in these remaining strongholds is critical to the survival of this species in Ireland. Only 188 calling male corncrakes were recorded across Ireland in 2021.

Speaking at the launch Minister Noonan said:

‘The call of the corncrake was once a ubiquitous sound in meadows and grasslands across the island of Ireland. However, rapid changes to farming practices in the 1970’s spelled doom for the bird. The award of this funding demonstrates the ongoing importance of the EU LIFE programme in supporting conservation projects that have a regional or local focus, particularly in rural or peripheral areas. This funding will allow my Department, working in conjunction with stakeholders across Government and the communities in question, to put measures in place to help secure the future of this species, which remains a high conservation priority at a national and European level’. 

Minister Hackett added:

“Given the fact that the Corncrake relies so much on habitats used for agricultural reasons, I am delighted that the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is a key partner in the Corncrake LIFE project. My Department’s involvement reflects our increasing awareness that we need a more a cooperative approach to agri-ecology in our landscape. I was delighted to be able to secure additional funding recently for the results-based element of the Corncrake LIFE project.  The use of scorecards to help steer and inform farmers as to what is on their lands is a very practical way of helping to advise farmers how to manage their practices to the benefit of the environment.” 

Dr. John Carey of the National Parks and Wildlife Service who manages the project said:

“The efforts will focus primarily on a combination of habitat creation and restoration, although some new and innovative approaches to corncrake conservation will be explored. The project will be developing knowledge exchange groups with farmers and advisors to share information on how to create and maintain high quality corncrake habitats and ensure that landowners can maximise their potential to receive rewards under the results-based pilot scheme.”

ENDS

Notes 

Corncrake is listed as a protected species on Annex I of the Birds Directive. The Corncrake’s breeding range extend from Ireland to Asiatic Russia in the northern hemisphere. The Corncrake winters in southern and eastern Africa, migrating northwards to arrive on its breeding grounds from early April onwards and departing again in August and September. Due to the large decreases in both numbers and range, it is on the Birds of Conservation Concern in Ireland (BoCCI) list.

Corncrakes require managed habitat throughout the breeding season. Corncrakes require the cover of tall vegetation (>20cm) and are strongly associated with meadows which are traditionally harvested once a year in late summer, where they nest and feed. Annual cutting creates a sward with an open structure, which is easy for the birds to move through, but harvesting means they must find alternative cover adjacent to meadows later in the season. Farming therefore plays a key role in the establishment, maintenance and conservation of Corncrake habitat.

For more information on the project you can contact Corncrakelife@housing.gov.ie or following them on Twitter @CorncrakeLIFE

March 28, 2022

Heather cutting on the Knockmealdown Mountains

Heather cutting on the Knockmealdown Mountains

IFA Countryside were recently invited by ABGN Gun Club as they carried out vital conservation work on the glorious Knockmealdown mountains.  Also invited was Senator Garrett Ahearn.  AGBN raised concerns with Senator Ahearn about the ability to burn heather.

AGBN demonstrated how they manage the heather for one of our iconic game birds; the Irish Red grouse. In ideal conditions, strips of 10 metres wide and 100 metres long would be burned in a controlled manner before the deadline of 1st March.  Burning the heather provides a balance of both young and old heather which is essential for its survival.   Grouse feed mainly on heather.  The heather needs to be healthy and vibrant.  An ideal crop would have several stages of growth in any given area.

ABGN had been using controlled burning of the heather since 2004 but in the last number of years, adverse weather conditions involving heavy rainfall meant that this was not possible.  The Gun Club were adamant that this vital conservation work should continue so they found another method of controlling the heather.  They purchased a mulching head which is attached onto a hymac thus allowing mowing to take place even in adverse weather.

ABGN Gun Club had previously raised concerns with Senator Ahearn about extending the burning dates to allow them to burn the heather. They invited the Senator out to witness first hand their conservation efforts and the value of heather management. 

Many thanks to all members of ABGN Gun Club on their fantastic work in stabilising and indeed increasing grouse numbers on the Knockmealdown mountains.  Long may it continue.

March 23, 2022