National census of otters to cost €125k

THE state is spending over €125,000 on a national census of otters.

The work was commissioned in response to a European Court of Justice judgment that the state is failing adequately to protect the mammal.

Belfast-based Quercus Consultants — which also scooped the contract for the national frog survey — is being paid €129,981 plus VAT for the work to develop and manage the otter survey.