Vol. 540 No. 3
244 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands her views on whether her responsibilities for Irish biodiversity extend beyond the marine zone of three nautical miles to the economic exclusion zone extending to 200 nautical miles around the coast; and if she will designate special areas of conservation beyond the three mile limit in consultation with stakeholders. [20495/01]
The Deputy will be aware that the scope of the Wildlife (Amendment) Act, 2000, extends for the first time to marine species and habitats.
The issue referred to by the Deputy is an emerging and complex one. The matter is being reviewed within my Department and legal advice has been sought. However, it will be necessary to consider the overall issue in due course in a broader context, which includes implications deriving from Annex V of the OSPAR Convention and the Convention on Biological Diversity.
