New law prohibits use of poison bait

The Government is to make it an offence for anyone to use any type of meat, fish, egg or other animal substance as bait to poison on birds or animals.

Anyone convicted under the new law will face fines of up to €5,000 or imprisonment for a term of up to 12 months, or both.

The programme to re-introduce the golden eagle, white-tailed eagle and red kite to Ireland is being led by the Department of the Environment and the new laws are being introduced in an attempt to protect the birds.

It follows the poisoning of 12 large birds of prey in the past year, including golden eagle, red kite, white-tailed eagle and buzzard.

The Scottish and Norwegian governments, who licence the capture of eagles in their countries for release in Ireland, have expressed grave concern at the poisonings.

Golden eagles bred in two locations in Co Donegal in 2010, and red kites have bred in Co Wicklow. The white-tailed eagles brought to Ireland as part of the programme are still too young to breed.

Minister for the Environment John Gormley said he was concerned that the poisoning incidents could damage the reintroduction programme.

"Such actions are irresponsible as well as illegal and they give a very negative image of Ireland's farming and tourism sectors, nationally and internationally," he said.

"The re-introduction of these magnificent eagles and kites into Ireland will further enhance Ireland*s environmental reputation for respecting its wildlife and enable us to harness the associated social, cultural and economic benefits," Mr Gormley said.

"We now call on everyone to respect the law and protect these birds of prey, which are of real economic value to the rural communities in the release areas," he added.

The Department of Agriculture has confirmed that there is now no pesticide registered or approved in the Ireland that can be used to poison birds or foxes.

A chemical called alphachloralose was previously registered, and commonly used, to kill crows. The approval was removed in November 2008.

Alphachloralose is now only registered and approved in Ireland for the control of mice and any poisoning of foxes and rows is now illegal.

Minister for Agriculture Brendan Smith said people who need to control rats and mice to be "very careful" in the use of poisons, pointing out that there is a risk that birds such as barn owls can be accidentally killed if they eat a rat that has already eaten poison.

"Barn owls are a good friend to the farmer but sadly have become scarce in Ireland due in part to accidental poisoning", Mr Smith said.