Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 10 Oct 2000

Vol. 523 No. 4

Written Answers. - Special Areas of Conservation.

Michael Ring

Question:

197 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands the number of counties affected by special area of conservation or national heritage area designation, giving the percentage for each county; and if she will provide a detailed listing of the townlands designated in County Mayo. [21454/00]

Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands (Miss de Valera)

SAC and NHA designations have been proposed for all counties as follows:

County	% NHA	% SAC
Carlow	4.7	4.4
Cavan	8.5	3.1
Clare	18.4	23.8
Cork	4.0	6.7
Donegal	24.2	24.0
Dublin	9.7	8.4
Galway	25.3	27.8
Kerry	26.4	41.3
Kildare	2.8	0.3
Kilkenny	0.9	2.0
Laois	3.6	2.9
Leitrim	10.2	8.3
Limerick	3.0	4.0
Longford	8.4	5.1
Louth	15.5	10.7
Mayo	27.3	25.3
Meath	1.1	0.2
Monaghan	2.5	0.04
Offaly	5.0	3.0
Roscommon	8.0	4.3
Sligo	18.3	18.5
Tipperary	4.1	2.7
Waterford	6.8	6.2
Wexford	7.6	22.8
Wicklow	18.5	16.6

I wish to advise the Deputy that some caution is required in interpreting these figures. The percentage area represents marine as well as land areas, with the total including marine areas expressed as a percentage of land area. Rivers and lakes are counted as land. For example 25.3% of the area of proposed SACs in County Mayo reduces to 20.2% if large marine areas are excluded from the calculation.

I have arranged for a list of townlands, wholly or partially included in SAC and NHAs in county Mayo, to be transmitted directly to the Deputy.