Ireland’s biodiversity and heritage agenda came into sharp focus this week as a new hen harrier strategy was unveiled for Scattery Island in Co. Clare. Announced on gov.ie, the plan aims to protect one of Ireland’s rarest birds of prey while safeguarding one of the country’s most important historic island sites.
Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity Christopher O’Sullivan TD joined Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works (OPW), Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran TD, to launch the strategy on Thursday, 23 July 2026. The initiative brings together the National Parks and Wildlife Service, the National Monuments Service and the OPW in a coordinated effort to support hen harrier breeding, fledging and habitat protection on the island.
Hen Harrier Strategy targets conservation on Scattery Island
Scattery Island is already well known for its monastic history, archaeological importance and restored built heritage, but it also plays a major role in national wildlife conservation. The island supports a notable share of Ireland’s breeding hen harrier population, making this hen harrier strategy particularly significant for Climate Action, Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and wider nature policy.
The strategy sets out action areas including:
- regulatory compliance and governance
- breeding and habitat monitoring
- habitat and predator management
- built heritage integration
- research into hen harrier foraging ecology
- management of disturbance pressures
- long-term site protection
This kind of cross-agency planning reflects how Irish public bodies increasingly work together, from the OPW and Heritage services to agencies such as the CSO, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other authorities operating across biodiversity, land use and conservation policy.
Why Scattery Island matters nationally
Scattery Island lies within the Lower River Shannon Special Area of Conservation and is surrounded by the River Shannon and River Fergus Estuaries Special Protected Area. It has recorded hen harrier presence since the early 2000s and has supported a breeding population for more than a decade. Recent figures show the island has averaged over four breeding pairs annually, with a peak of seven pairs in one season. With Ireland’s national breeding population estimated at about 100 pairs, the site carries real national importance.
The hen harrier strategy is therefore not just a local conservation measure. It is part of a bigger environmental picture involving Agriculture, Transport, visitor management, and sustainable tourism planning in line with public policy priorities across Ireland.
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Ministers stress balance between heritage, tourism and wildlife
Speaking at the launch, Minister O’Sullivan highlighted Scattery Island’s unique blend of natural beauty, cultural memory and ecological value. He described the hen harrier, often called the “Skydancer,” as one of Ireland’s most remarkable birds of prey and said the strategy could improve understanding of what helps the species breed successfully.
Minister Moran said the plan recognises Scattery Island as a national treasure where history, culture and wildlife coexist. He emphasised the role of partnership between state bodies and local stakeholders in supporting sustainable tourism while preserving the island’s environmental value.
The Office of Public Works (OPW), which manages conservation, interpretation and guided visitor access to the island from Kilrush, is central to implementing the hen harrier strategy on the ground. The announcement also reflects the broader role of state institutions under the Department of the Taoiseach framework for joined-up policy, alongside agencies involved in heritage, planning and public administration.
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What happens next
The hen harrier strategy is designed to guide long-term protection measures on Scattery Island while allowing managed public access to continue. In practice, that means conservation decisions will need to support both nesting success and the visitor experience without compromising either.
For policymakers, heritage managers and local tourism operators, this hen harrier strategy offers a practical model for managing sensitive sites across Ireland. The key takeaway is clear: protecting nature and preserving heritage do not have to compete when planning is evidence-based, collaborative and focused on the long term.
Article/Image Courtesy: gov.ie
