This article is from page 6 of the 2009-04-28 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 6 JPG
CLARE County Council has raised public safety concerns over a pro- posed clay pigeon shooting range and has asked the operator if fire- arms will be stored at the site.
Last month, Liam Hogan lodged plans for a clay pigeon shooting range at Kilduff, Tulla. The proposal encounted local opposition — and some support – while the Department of the Environment claimed the site was inappropriate as it was located within a special protection area for the Hen Harrier.
Deferring a decision for at least nine months, the council has now asked Mr Hogan if guns and ammu- nition will stored at the site and if so, what storage and security measures will be put in place.
Mr Hogan has also been asked to provide details as who will operate and run the proposed facility; wheth- er people using the facility will be using their own firearms or be rent- ing them from the firing range. They have also asked for details of the shot range of the firearms.
The proposed site lies within the Slieve Aughty Special Protection Area (SPA) and, according to the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), “is a stronghold for Hen Harriers and supports the second
largest concentration in the coun- try”.
The NWPS report states that in 2005, a survey found 24 confirmed and three possible breeding pairs on the site and this represented over 17 per cent of the national total.
The proposed development site lies in an area known to have Hen Harrier usage throughout the summer. Four breeding sites are located within a Skm radius of the proposed develop- ment, two of these were confirmed as breeding sites in a 2008 summer eJUSLeLONNETSMESLUUAoAYA
Habitats located within the de- velopment site such as clear fell ar- eas and failed forestry may provide nesting opportunities for the Hen Harrier while also providing hunt- ing opportunities, the NWPS survey concluded.
As a result, the council states that the site should be resurveyed for hen harrier breeding and hunting over an increased number of days in the summer period and a winter survey of the site is also required.
Although it is in a largely remote area, there are a number of dwellings and farm buildings near the site and Mr Hogan has been asked to submit “an appropriately scaled site loca- tion map that illustrates all existing houses and farm sheds within a 500 metre radius of the site”.