Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 3 Mar 1992

Vol. 416 No. 6

Written Answers. - Wicklow Mountains National Park.

Roger T. Garland

Question:

189 Mr. Garland asked the Minister for Finance if he will outline the size in acres of the proposed national park in County Wicklow; the number of people currently resident within the proposed park; if he is currently seeking the views of the Wicklow County Council, the prescribed bodies under the planning Acts and others such as the Wicklow Mountains Environment Group, the Wicklow Upland Farmers and Landowners Association and the Roundwood National Park Committee, with a view to devising specific proposals to provide the residents with a role in the management of the national park, and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister of State at the Department of Finance (Mr. N. Treacy)

The area which it is hoped to eventually include in the Wicklow Mountains National Park comprises approximately 33,000 hectares (81,500 acres). A total of approximately 12,600 hectares (31,100 acres) is under the direct control of the Office of Public Works and comprises former Forest Service and Coillte Teoranta lands and other lands purchased from private landowners in the area. The balance is in the hands of private landowners. Private land will included in the national park only if the landowners agree to either dispose of the lands or to enter into management agreements with the Office of Public Works. The expansion of the national park is also dependent on funds being available for this purpose.

The national park does not contain any private lands and thus there are no private residents within it. I cannot say how many people are in fact permanently resident within the eventual target area for the park. The area is however very sparsely populated and as I have already mentioned no private lands will be included in the national park unless by way of management agreement with the specific consent of the owner in each case.

The Deputy appears to be under the mistaken impression that the national park will have large numbers of residents within it. It may be that he is confusing Irish national parks, which accord with internationally accepted criteria laid down by the World Conservation Union (IUCN), and those in use in England and Wales which do not meet the criteria and are categorised as "protected landscapes", not as national parks, by the IUCN. Consequently the question of consultation with local interest groups must be considered in the light of the fact that the national park will be comprised entirely of lands owned by, or under the control of, the State as is required by the international criteria for national parks. The park itself will be managed in accordance with these criteria.

I propose however to set up an advisory committee representing local and national interests with whom major policy matters could be discussed. The Wicklow Mountains Consultative Committee, established by Wicklow County Council to consider a development and management strategy for the Wicklow Mountains and on which local and national interest groups are represented, may be the most appropriate body to fulfil this role in regard to the Wicklow Mountains National Park.