News

Wild Bird Declarations for 2024 Come Into Effect on 1 January 2024

Date Released: Thursday, December 21, 2023

The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien TD, has today 20 December 2023 signed two Declarations – a General Wild Bird Declaration, and an Air Safety Wild Bird Declaration.  These will run for a period of 12 months, from 1 January to 31 December 2024.

The Birds Directive (Directive 2009/147/EC) on the conservation of wild birds is implemented in Ireland, inter alia, under the Wildlife Acts. Under the terms of the Directive, all Member States of the European Union are bound to take measures to protect all wild birds and their habitats.

Under Article 9(a), Member States may derogate in the interests of public health and safety; air safety; to prevent serious damage to crops, livestock, forests, fisheries and water; and for the protection of flora and fauna.

Details of the Declarations may be found here.

EU reporting requirements under the Birds Directive require annual returns. The time span of the Declarations has been adjusted to align with the reporting period. The requirements also place an obligation on any individual that carries out any activity in the State under these Declarations to provide details of such activity. Reporting forms can be found on the NPWS website.