Vol. 515 No. 5
17 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands the EU directives for which her Department has responsibility which have to be implemented; if she will list those directives in respect of which the EU Commission has taken legal action or opened infringement proceedings against Ireland for non-implementation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6304/00]
As I stated in my previous reply to PQ 2323/00 on 1 February 2000, my Department has responsibility for implementing the EU Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC and the EU Birds Directive 79/49/EEC, and I am pleased to inform the Deputy that both these directives are being implemented. However, the EU Commission initiated legal action against Ireland for failure to transmit a list of special areas of conservation as required under the EU Habitats Directive. I have since transmitted 252 sites to the Commission, but the list is still incomplete and the legal action is proceeding.
In addition a reasoned opinion has been issued in respect of overgrazing, particularly in regard to the Owenduff-Nephin Beg site in the context of the Birds Directive. Despite a full response outlining steps taken to deal with the matter, I have recently been informed that the Commission intends to pursue legal action.
