Vol. 500 No. 7
349 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands the category into which Wicklow National Park falls; the meaning of this category; and the plans, if any, there are to change this categorisation. [5093/99]
350 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands when Wicklow Uplands Council will be established; and the recommendations, if any, regarding the future categorisation of Wicklow National Park to be included among the terms of reference. [5094/99]
Tógfaidh mé Ceisteanna Uimh. 349 agus Uimh. 350 le chéile.
It is a matter for IUCN, the World Conservation Union, to decide the category of protected area under which a site should be registered. Wicklow Mountains National Park is registered by IUCN as a Category II protected area and any alteration to its status is ultimately a matter for that organisation. The IUCN guidelines for Category II are being forwarded to the Deputy under separate cover.
Following concern expressed some time ago by another Deputy about the implications of Category II status for activities within the National Park, I asked Dúchas, the heritage service of my Department, to clarify with IUCN whether or not activities such as traditional grazing practices are consistent with the criteria for Category II, and particularly with the requirement to "prevent exploitation or occupation inimical to the purposes of designation". While it is the view of my Department that these practices are not inconsistent with conservation of the area, if IUCN are of the opinion that such activities make it more appropriate to register the National Park in another of their recognised categories rather than in Category II, they are entitled to do so.
