Seagulls are "making life miserable" for some people in Dublin, according to a Sinn Féin TD.
Louise O'Reilly says the increase in "urban gulls" has now become a health and safety issue in parts of the capital.
There are complaints that seagulls are increasingly nesting away from the sea, and are keeping residents awake at night.
Deputy O'Reilly - who represents Dublin Fingal - told Newstalk Breakfast she has received numerous complaints from locals along coastal areas.
She said the increase in the seagull population in areas such as Balbriggan, Howth and Skerries has been “quite alarming”.
She observed: “I think it’s serious because it’s a public health and safety issue.
“I have people living close to me… who have [segull] nests on their roof. They can’t sleep.
“I have a constituent who has 18 nests on her roof - her life has been made absolutely miserable.
“That’s before you even get to the obvious problems caused by seagull waste. We know they damage property, and keep people awake from around 5am in the morning."
On a day of urgent warnings about the impact of climate change, Deputy O'Reilly said the state of our seas and overfishing are among the factors driving seagulls inland.
She now believes Government action needs to be taken, and ministers need to work with local communities to try to address the problem.
She said: “The solution is to control the population, and redirect them where possible to places where it would be more appropriate for them to nest.”
"There’s no disputing that action needs to be taken - and the Government has a report on their desk.”
