Minister of State for heritage and electoral reform, Malcolm Noonan, has said that the government has no current plans to carry out a national cull of mink.
The minister was responding to a parliamentary question posed by chair of the Joint Oireachtas Committee for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and Fianna Fáil TD, Jackie Cahill.
The Tipperary TD asked the minister what amount of funding had been secured under Budget 2024 for the culling of mink through the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and what bounty would be set for mink tails.
Deputy Cahill previously called for the re-introduction of the 2012 bounty programme, and stated that the reward should be increased to €20/tail.
He stated that mink “are a non-native species, that kill for sport and decimate populations of fish and ground-nesting birds”.
As a semi-aquatic animal, mink thrive in damp environments, meaning they are becoming a serious problem in wetlands.
Mink cull
Minister Noonan said that the NPWS is responsible for the implementation of a suite of national and EU legislation in relation to invasive alien species in Ireland.
“Funding was provided by NPWS in 2012 for a scheme administered by the National Association of Regional Game Councils (NARGC) for a bounty on mink as part of a wider effort to protect ground nesting birds in western counties.
“I understand that this scheme ran for three years until 2015. That scheme is no longer in operation,” he said.
“There are no plans at present in my department for a nationwide cull of American mink and no funds have been secured under budget 2024 in this regard.
“There are a range of ongoing efforts by NPWS to control American mink in the country,” he added.
Minister Noonan said these measures are being managed by NPWS regional staff on State-owned lands, such as national parks under a number of LIFE projects focused on the Curlew and the Corncrake.
“These efforts are focused on the protection of rare ground nesting birds and nest protection officers are in place across the country to control and remove mink where they catch them,” he said.