€44,000 for Fingal biodiversity projects

The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien TD has announced funding of €44,000 for local biodiversity projects in North County Dublin. Fingal County Council has been allocated €44,000 under the Local Biodiversity Action Fund (LBAF).
 
€15,000 has been allocated for the restoration of three acres of wetland at the St. Itas Wetlands local nature reserve near Portrane. A further €15,000 has been allocated for the installation of fencing in Turvey Nature Park to expand the area for grazing and reduce disturbance by dogs to wildlife in the park. €6,000 has been allocated for the preparation of a  biodiversity plan for the Howth Golf course and €8,000 has been allocated to provide for further research on the ecology and movements of Herring gulls in Balbriggan.
 
Commenting Minister O’Brien said, “Fingal County Council are real trailblazers when it comes to biodiversity and I’m delighted that this work is being recognised through my Department’s Local Biodiversity Action Fund.
 
“The funding provided will have a real and tangible impact and it couldn’t come at a more crucial time. Each of these projects compliment and support the implementation of the National Biodiversity Action Plan, the new draft of which is currently out for public consultation. The closing date for submissions as part of the public consultation is November 9th so I would really encourage anyone who wants their voice to be heard to make a submission at: www.gov.ie/biodiversityplan,” he concluded.