Taoiseach signs petition to re-introduce sea eagles to the Kingdom

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern and Tourism Minister John O’Donoghue have signed a petition supporting a plan to re-introduce white-tailed sea eagles to Kerry, it was revealed yesterday.

A claim by Cllr Michael Healy-Rae that “every second’’ lamb in Kerry would be killed by the eagles, was described by Cllr Michael Gleeson as “patently incorrect.” Mr Gleeson, however, said, while it was possible the eagles would take an occasional lamb, the lambs would be quite safe 999 times out of 1,000.

“This a project that will attract thousands of people to this county and, as well as being a novel conservation project, it will greatly enrich our economy,’’ he added.

He said the Taoiseach signed the petition backing the project during a recent visit to Kerry.

Meanwhile, a group supporting a controversial plan to reintroduce the eagle has claimed widespread backing for the project. Group chairman Jerry O’Grady, of Killarney, said they had 6,000 signatures and were confident of getting 10,000.

Killarney Town Council has also approved €10,000 for the project and the Killarney National Park Liaison Committee has unanimously voted in favour of it.

However, there’s strong farmer opposition, with Kerry IFA claiming the eagles would kill lambs and that more land would be designated for conservation purposes.

A delegation from the IFA is meeting with Environment minister Dick Roche tomorrow on the matter. They say “the broader picture” which includes area species conservation designations, and the handling of the red deer, is not being looked at and they reject idea of narrowness.

“It isn’t the bird that’s the issue. The real issue is it’s going to affect the value of our properties,” Flor McCarthy, chairman of the Kerry Rural development committee said.

Environment Minister Dick Roche has fully endorsed the project.