Bradley Bytes – A sort of political column by Dara Bradley

Junior Minister for Nature, Malcolm Noonan, issued a statement welcoming a 2024 survey from the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) that apparently showed a 7% increase in the national corncrake population, or 15 additional birds compared with 2023.

“Furthermore, the numbers of corncrake territories recorded in the core breeding areas of Donegal, Mayo and Galway have increased by 45% on 2018 baseline figures,” the press release gushed.

It sounded great. So, we asked for more details about Galway aspects of the survey. Silence from NPWS and that organisation’s parent Department of Housing. When follow-up queries were ignored, we submitted a Freedom of Information request to get the survey.

But it turned out, the survey does not exist – yet.

“I wish to advise you that the report is still being drafted and may not be ready until the end of October 2024,” the Department said in response to an FOI request.

When the ridiculousness of the situation was pointed out – how can you issue a statement about survey results for a survey that does not yet exist? – the Department doubled down.

“It is not unreasonable or unusual to have headline figures confirmed without the detail of the report fully ready for release,” said a senior Department of Housing official.

No explanation was given as to why the press release couldn’t have waited until the survey was ready in October.

Essentially, what happened here folks, was that figures from incomplete surveys were cherry-picked and published to manipulate the news cycle to suit a Green Party Minister’s agenda.

Cynics might conclude it was released to garner positive publicity, ahead of a possible November election, or to deflect from negative news.

What’s worse, some media outlets published it without probing the data further. It’s for the birds!

Pictured: For the birds: Minister Malcolm Noonan’s statement welcoming a 7% increase in the national corncrake population,was based on a survey from the National Parks and Wildlife Service that has not yet been fully collated.