State pays €400k to save the corncrake bird

The State has spent over €400,000 this year on the battle to save the corncrake bird from national extinction.

Figures provided by the Department of Arts and Heritage show that €408,948 has been paid out — with the vast bulk going to farmers — as the numbers of corncrake calling males reached the highest number recorded in 21 years of population monitoring under the Corncrake Conservation Project.

The 230 calling males recorded in the summer represents a 22% increase on the 188 recorded in 2013.

Over the past three years, the decline of the corncrake has been reversed, with the State spend on the various conservation measures totalling over €1.7m.

A departmental note included in information released under the Freedom of Information Act states that “not only has the decline in corncrake numbers been halted nationally, but there is a resurgence in Donegal and Mayo”.

“The Shannon Callows remains a concern, however, with summer flooding over the past decade taking a particular toll on numbers there.”

The €408,948 spend for the first 11 months of this year is almost €200,000 less than the €597,779 spent last year on the corncrake conservation measures and a 43% decline on the €722,237 spent in 2012.

The largest proportion of the monies is going to farmers in the population strongholds in Connacht and Donegal. This year, farmers across the country received payments totalling €234,734 made up of €174,786 in corncrake grant scheme payments and €59,948 in farm plan payments.

The programme spend for this year also includes €88,913 spent on a predator programme aimed at eliminating the threat posed by mink and foxes towards the corncrake.

Corncrake fieldworkers received €72,925 while farm planner fees totalled €12,373.

The top payment to a farmer this year is €6,312 paid to an Offaly farmer with one farmer in Westmeath receiving in excess of €6,100.