Irish Seal Sanctuary

Fax Transmission

To:	An Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern T.D.
	St. Luke's 161 Lr. Drumcondra Road Dublin 9.
Fax Numbers:	01 - 6621007
	01 - 6789791
	01 - 8368877
	01 - 6764048

A Thaoiseach,

As you are aware, the Irish Seal Sanctuary, has reached a crossroads. There are more seals than ever arriving at the Sanctuary, this season alone more than 60 long term seals will have been cared for. The Sanctuary has outgrown it's present location and needs to move to a dedicated Seal Sanctuary site.

Thankfully, Fingal Co. Council have donated a superb 7 acre coastal site to the Sanctuary. It will cost approx. Ј2.2M to develop this site fully. Already about 30% of this figure has been pledged. Please consider this request favourably and maybe take note of the following points:

	Ireland is the only EU coastal nation WITHOUT a National Seal Sanctuary.
	The Irish Seal Sanctuary is in existence for 15 years now.
	In that time well over 100 seals have been successfully released back to sea.
	Brendan and Mary Price (Founders of the Sanctuary) have had their Social Welfare cut off and now have NO income to support their children. How ironic, in this "The International Year of the Volunteer".
	Seals have had to be translocated this year to England for rehabilitation.
	Sile DeValera's Dept. signed the export licence for these animals.
	The new Sanctuary will provide 8 full time jobs and by year three, 62,000 visitors per year.

Sincerely,

Name: ......................................

Address: ...................................

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