A Minister of State believes the death of a white-tailed eagle in Clare was the result of illegal activity.

An investigation is underway following the death of Caimin, one of Ireland's oldest breeding white-tailed eagles, whose body was found in Mountshannon on Saturday May 24th.

Caimin held territory at the Mountshannon nest site on Lough Derg for 17 years and was brought to Ireland from Norway as part of a programme aimed a re-establishing a population of the previously extinct species here.

The misuse or illegal use of poisons accounts for nearly 50% of eagle deaths and Fianna Fáil Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher O’Sullivan, says it's likely this is how Caimin died.