€500k this year alone: Cost of saving the corncrake

The battle to save the corncrake from national extinction is being won — but at a price, figures show.

According to data released yesterday by the Department of Arts and Heritage, the State has spent €500,000 on various measures to safeguard the bird in the first 10 months of this year.

In response to a Freedom of Information request, the department confirmed that €505,712 has been spent on the fight to save the bird to the end of October.