Vol. 488 No. 2
171 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands if a protection order can be put in place at Lough Arrow, County Sligo which is a special area of conservation in view of the fact that the area is being exploited by visitors from other parts of the country who are shooting commercially on the lake; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5936/98]
Lough Arrow in County Sligo is not a proposed designated special area of conservation but is a designated special protection area — SPA — under Council Directive (79/409/EEC) on the conservation of wild birds. As a SPA, Lough Arrow receives protection under the European Communities (Natural Habitats) Regulations, 1997 (S. I. No. 94 of 1997) which transposed the Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) into Irish law. However, hunting is not considered incompatible with the conservation status of SPAs, including Lough Arrow, and there are no plans to regulate hunting on any sites under the European Communities (Natural Habitats) Regulations, 1997. Under section 30 of the Wildlife Act, 1976, permission may be granted to, inter alia, hunt fauna on or over foreshore belonging to the State and such permissions are granted in respect of Lough Arrow. Dúchas, the Heritage Service of my Department, is not aware of any conservation reason why hunting should be restricted at Lough Arrow but if detailed information of hunting abuse is made available to me, I will be happy to have the matter investigated.
