IFA Countryside Chairman David Wilkinson has called on the Minister for Environment John Gormley to immediately sign into law a derogation to allow the all-year-round culling of pest birds such as grey crows and magpies. He said these birds can cause tremendous damage and cruelty and their numbers have grown rapidly over recent years particularly due to the mild winters Ireland is experiencing. He said sheep farmers needed to be able to protect young vulnerable lambs from attack by grey crows, and bird enthusiasts know all to well the damage magpies do by scavenging the nests of our indigenous songbirds. ‘Previous Ministers for the Environment have provided this derogation to allow the all-year-round culling of these pest birds for years, and there is no justifiable reason for any delay by Minister Gormley on this issue,’ he concluded.
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