Wildlife Protection

1617. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he has concerns about the use of an acoustic pinger in a small bay in County Clare where there is a resident dolphin which means significant harassment and disturbance of the dolphin (details supplied). [25880/26]

281. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment further to Parliamentary Question No. 343 of 13 January 2025, if his Department is aware that salmon and smolts are not surviving downstream migration; the discussions that have taken place between his Department and Inland Fisheries Ireland with regard to this issue; if he has concerns on whether this arrangement …

92. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the work being carried out by his Department into the population growth of seagulls in a location (details supplied), their migration patterns and status as a protected species; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2639/26]

342. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider introducing a flexible controlled burning scheme for upland areas, allowing farmers to apply for permission to burn heather outside the current statutory window, in order to reduce fire risk and protect biodiversity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67703/25]

36. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide an update on the work of his Department to review and update wildlife legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65852/25]

258. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage how the recent IUCN reclassification of apis mellifera as endangered will influence Ireland's national biodiversity and pollinator strategies; and whether specific protections for wild honey bee colonies will now be prioritised in national biodiversity policy. [60659/25]

259. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the engagement taking place with the National Parks and Wildlife Service to map, monitor, and protect remaining wild populations of apis mellifera in Ireland; and if dedicated funding will be allocated to support their conservation. [60660/25]

324. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the immediate actions being taken in response to the recent International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classification of the wild western honeybee (apis mellifera) as endangered within the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60654/25]

325. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the current status of the Protection of the Native Irish Honey Bee Bill 2021; the reasons for the delay in progressing it beyond second stage in the Dáil; and the timeline for its enactment given the escalating biosecurity threats now confirmed in Ireland, including the Asian hornet. [60655/25]

326. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures being taken to prevent the importation of non-native honey bee subspecies and colonies which contribute to introgressive hybridisation and disease transmission; and if consideration will be given to an immediate administrative moratorium on imports pending legislative action. [60656/25]

327. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has conducted a recent assessment of Ireland's biosecurity readiness to prevent the introduction of new honey bee pests such as tropilaelaps mites and the small hive beetle; and to provide details of contingency plans currently in place. [60657/25]

328. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the Department will engage with the Department of the Climate, Energy and the Environment, and with the Northern Ireland authorities, to establish an all-island biosecurity protocol and joint strategy for the protection of apis mellifera, Ireland's native black honey bee. [60658/25]

121. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will outline the rationale for the decision to review the Memorandum of Understanding between his Department and an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60208/25]

122. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if representatives of an organisation (details supplied) will be formally consulted as part of the review of the existing Memorandum of Understanding with his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60209/25]

123. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether the announced review of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between an organisation (details supplied) and his Department will delay the implementation of agreed actions under the MoU, including the establishment of the countryside forum on nature and if he will provide a revised timeline for deliver…

745. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the financial support which will be made available to farmers for nature restoration in 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55102/25]

708. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No.1308 of 8 September 2025, if the number of I-WeBS sites surveyed set-out in the previous reply refers to unique sites as listed on the I-WeBS website, or also contains sub-site of the same site listed on the website; the number of the sites surveyed in each year that wer…

1306. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to set out the justification and evidence base for listing ‘hunting’ as a pressure or threat for 28 bird species in Ireland’s latest Article 12 report to the EU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47387/25]

1307. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason hunting bag data was not included in Ireland’s latest Article 12 report to the EU; and if Ireland will make a further submission to the EU with available bag count data; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47388/25]

1308. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total number of individual sites which were subject to core I-WeBS counts in each of the years 2020-2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47389/25]

1474. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on any work being carried out by his Department into the population growth of seagulls; their migration patterns and status as a protected species; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41633/25]

394. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation in relation to a firework display at the American embassy in the Phoenix Park, whether a licence was given for this display; and whether the wellbeing of the animals who live in the park was taken into consideration by the OPW. [39478/25]

582. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding his Department's drafting of a code of conduct for interacting with basking sharks under the Wildlife Act 1976; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39150/25]

97. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will outline the schemes in place to support the creation and enhancement of hedgerows and other linear and connective landscape features of value to wildlife; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35769/25]

195. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the current number of deer management units (DMU’s) nationally; the current number of staff employed in each DMU; the current number of vacancies in each DMU, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36364/25]