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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 4 Dec 2001

Vol. 545 No. 4

Written Answers. - Natural Heritage Areas.

Trevor Sargent

Question:

337 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands the timescale she envisages for the notification, appeals, and designation process to complete the natural heritage areas to be designated under the Wildlife (Amendment) Act, 2000. [30557/01]

The Deputy may be aware that on 31 July 2001, I signed the commencement order giving effect to provisions in the Wildlife Amendment Act, 2000, which, inter alia, provides for the designation of natural heritage areas, NHAs. The criteria used in selecting NHA sites are broadly similar to those applying to SACs but are not confined to a specified list of habitats and species. NHAs will conserve habitats and species listed in the habitats directive and additional habitats and species, of importance in the Irish context, as well as areas with a geological or geomorphological interest.

Final designation of individual sites will take place only after the designation process is completed. The designation provisions are set out at sections 16 to 18 of the Wildlife Amendment Act, 2000. These provisions encompass public advertisement of the intention to designate a site, notification to land users and land owners of the extent, scientific interest and conservation requirements of the site, consultation with other Government Ministers and planning authorities, and opportunities for objection on scientific grounds.

With more than 1,100 proposed NHAs encompassing in excess of 900,000 ha, as well as sites of geological interest newly proposed by the Geological Survey of Ireland, the Deputy will appreciate that the preparatory work will be substantial. The staff of Dúchas, the heritage service of my Department, dealing with the designation of nature conservation areas must also continue to give priority to complete the process of designating sites under the EU birds and habitats directives. Against this general background, NHA designation will be progressed on a phased basis starting next year. Having regard to the scale of the task, I envisage the process of designating all proposed NHAs will take at least two to three years to complete.

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