Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 September 2020
375. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is satisfied regarding the way the management plan is progressing for the special protection area and the special area of conservation at the Gearagh, County Cork; the next stage of the process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26485/20]
View answerIn response to a question on this matter from the Deputy last March, the then Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht advised that “At the request of the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, my Department's National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) completed and published detailed site-specific conservation objectives for the Gearagh SAC (000108) in September 2016.
A management plan scoping exercise was undertaken by ESB International on behalf of the ESB (who are the main landowner) in 2016/2017. The NPWS took part in the stakeholder group that contributed to the report produced as a result of that exercise.”
Owing to the constraints and exigencies arising from the Covid-19 pandemic, it has not been possible to pursue the matter further at this time. The Department will seek an update on progress in the coming weeks.
