MINISTER OF STATE for Heritage and Electoral Reform Malcolm Noonan has welcomed the prosecution of three men who were convicted of shooting herring gulls in Wexford.

Andrew Walsh, Croistoir Reville and Adam Moore, all living in Co Wexford, were convicted of unlawful shooting of the gulls in Wexford’s District Court on Monday.

Minister Noonan said their conviction highlighted the need for Ireland to conserve species like the herring gull.

“I welcome this prosecution as it is a clear indication of the need to conserve all bird species including the herring gull whose coastal numbers have increased in recent years,” Noonan said.

The men were convicted by Judge Brian O’Shea under Section 22 (4) (i) of the Wildlife Acts 1976 and 2000.

The shooting of the herring gulls took place at Ballyteige in Co Wexford on 11 May 2019.

The court heard evidence from Seamus Feeney from Co Sligo, who witnessed the incident. Feeney provided the court with photos he had taken of the three men.

The court also heard from Tony Murray, a conservation ranger who gave direct evidence in relation to the incident.

The three defendants were fined €1,000 each, and had their firearm certificates revoked under Section 75 of the Wildlife Act.

Judge O’Shea banned the defendants from obtaining a firearm certificate for the next five years.

Herring gulls are found along all Irish coasts, and breed in colonies around the coast and inland in Co Donegal and Co Galway.

The largest colony of herring gulls in Ireland is on Lambay Island off the coast of Co Dublin, where there are over 1,800 nests.