White-tailed sea eagle chicks are to be introduced from Norway into the wetlands of the Killarney National Park, possibly as early as June, it has been confirmed.
The eagle has been extinct in Ireland for over 100 years and is among a number of reintroductions planned for the national park where the golden eagle was once common. The great spotted woodpecker is also being assessed for reintroduction according to local ecologists.
The introduction of the sea eagle is to take place despite a campaign against it and calls for postponement of the project by farmers in Kerry. The matter has become an election issue in the Kerry South constituency.
Last week at a public meeting between general election candidates and farmers, IFA representatives called for an independent assessment of the reintroduction of one of the world's largest birds of prey.
They fear further conservation designations of lands and taking of their lambs. The reintroduction by the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Golden Eagle Trust has been strongly backed by tourism interests in Killarney. It has also been supported by the local town council which has contributed some €10,000 to the project.
Tourism Minister John O'Donoghue, a Kerry South TD, has come out strongly in favour of the project and last month signed a petition in support of the project during a visit by the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, to Killarney.
However, farmers at the Tralee meeting told him in no uncertain terms that there were "a pile of farmers between this and Cahersiveen" with votes, while the tourists on the Ring of Kerry had no votes. Mr O'Donoghue said he believed the reintroduction of the white-tailed eagle was important for diversity and tourism. Since the bird was not a threatened species new designations on lands in Kerry would not follow, he believed.
Mr O'Donoghue conceded that "clearly consultation has not been adequate" but said a compensation scheme would be introduced by the Minister of Agriculture to pay for any lambs taken by the eagles.
Fine Gael candidates have called for a more measured approach and for more research before the project goes ahead. Cllr Séamus Cosai Fitzgerald (FG), a sheep farmer, said he wanted to see the research showing extra tourists would visit because of the eagles. Already the declining national ewe flock is preyed on by foxes, mink and grey crows.
Flor McCarthy, former chairman of the IFA in Kerry said farmers wanted an independent assessment of the white-tailed eagle project. While well-intentioned, the presentations by the Golden Eagle Trust were not independent, he said.
Minister of State for the Environment Batt O'Keeffe this weekend said the plan by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) to release 75 eagle chicks in Killarney National Park over the next five years was going ahead.
Mr O'Keeffe said there was no evidence to show that the eagles posed a threat to lambs.
Birds will be marked with coloured and numbered wing tags and each bird will also carry a small radio transmitter, which will enable the project manager to radio track the birds.