Cross-party Seanad group pushes for wildlife support scheme
Better protections for Irish wildlife will be the focus of a bill to be introduced to the Seanad by a cross-party group this Wednesday (April 29).
The Wildlife Rehabilitation Support Scheme Motion is aimed at ensuring multi-annual funding to support the work done by wildlife rescue centres in protecting animals from the threats and pressures they face due to development, loss of habitat, pollution, and road collisions.
Speaking ahead of Wednesday’s motion, Green Party Senator Malcolm Noonan said: "Irish people are indelibly connected to nature, and our wildlife is central to our identity. However, our wildlife is facing increasing threats.
“The scale of the challenge due to increased incidents of wildlife injury, coupled with our national ambition to restore nature, means that the current piecemeal support is no longer good enough.
“In the depths of a biodiversity crisis, a chink of light exists through the dedication of those working tirelessly every day to both restore nature and save our precious wildlife."
The senator said that this includes "our network of Licenced Wildlife Rehabilitation Centres or ‘rehabbers’ across the country".
He said: “Whether it’s hedgehogs, bats, stoats, badgers or wild birds, they all need our help.”
“Many species find themselves at the interface of human encroachment, pollution, development or road projects and usually come out the worse from a collision or an oil spill.
Senator Noonan highlighted the work of Wildlife Rehabilitation Centres, which he described as "places where every individual bird or mammal matters".
“I have stood by the shoreline as sea birds are released back into the wild following an oil spill, or a peregrine falcon taking flight after having a broken wing repaired.
“Very often rehab centres are reliant on volunteers and on public donations with some small grant support," the senator added.
He said that the motion seeks to put in place a "rolling fund" that Wildlife Rehabilitation Centres can apply for, that will "give certainty to these centres to continue to grow their services and to do outreach work in schools and the wider community”.
The senator added: “We urge the government to support this motion and put a fund in place in Budget 2027."
‘Best in class volunteers’
Labour Senator Nessa Cosgrove said that the Labour Party is “proud" to work with the Green Party to support this motion "calling on government to properly fund and regulate wildlife rescue centres in Ireland”.
She said: “Right now Ireland’s wildlife rescue centres are maintained by dedicated, best in class volunteers but it’s not enough nor is it the right way to do business.
“The proposed Wildlife Rescue Support Scheme is a practical and accountable approach to meeting the demand that care for injured and displaced animals is creating.”
Social Democrats Senator Patricia Stephenson said: “We're seeing eco-systems shift due to climate change, leading to loss of habitat for native species in Ireland and declining biodiversity.
“It's within this context that wildlife rehabilitation centres are at the frontline of protecting Irish wildlife.
“The wildlife protection sector largely rests on the good will of voluntary organisations, raising money from individual donations. This is simply unsustainable if we hope to meet the growing need to protect biodiversity for future generations."
Senators Noonan, Stephenson, and Cosgrove will be joined by Cork Wildlife Rescue and Kildare Wildlife Rescue, along with supporters, outside Leinster House at 12:45p.m on Wednesday.
