Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 11 Mar 2003

Vol. 563 No. 1

Written Answers - Special Protection Areas.

Jimmy Deenihan

Question:

540 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if the announcement date of new SPA's by Dúchas will be postponed to enable further clarification and discussion to take place with the farming organisations and the individual land holders that will be included in the SPA's; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7251/03]

Jimmy Deenihan

Question:

541 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the number of pairs of hen harriers that must live in an area in order that Ireland complies with the EU Directive on special areas of conservation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7252/03]

Jimmy Deenihan

Question:

549 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if Ireland is required by the EU to designate a specified number of hectares as SPAs; and if so, the number of same. [7469/03]

Jimmy Deenihan

Question:

551 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the number of pairs of hen harriers that are required to habitate an area to have it designated as an SPA; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7485/03]

Jimmy Deenihan

Question:

552 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the number of pairs of harriers that are nesting in the area being considered for designation as an SPA in the Stacks Mountains; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7486/03]

Minister for the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Cullen)

I propose to take the following Questions Nos. 540, 541, 549, 551 and 552 together.

EU legislation on the conservation of wild birds provides that species listed in annex I to the Birds Directive (1979) shall be the subject of special conservation measures concerning their habitat, in order to ensure their survival and reproduction in their area of distribution. The classification of suitable areas as special protection areas for the conservation of these species is envisaged as one means of achieving this objective.

The hen harrier is a species listed in annex I. EU legislation does not prescribe detailed quantitative criteria, in relation for example to numbers of rare birds or size of protected areas, for the designation of SPA's. However, account is to be taken where appropriate of whether the annex I species concerned is to be considered vulnerable to specific changes in their habitat, or rare because of small populations or restricted local distribution.

A recent survey estimated the total population of breeding pairs of hen harriers in the country at between 104 and 131 pairs, of which between 33 and 41 pairs were in the Stack's and adjoining Glanaruddery, Knockanefune and Mullaghareirk mountain ranges.

I have already emphasised that I will take decisions on the formal designation of proposed sites for hen harrier conservation, only when my Department's preparatory scientific work is complete and all relevant information is available to me. Formal proposals of this kind would initiate a statutory three month period of consultation during which submissions made by concerned parties would be invited and considered. In addition to the statutory provisions for notification of proposals to landowners and relevant public authorities, my Department, together with the Department of Agriculture and Food, has standing arrangements for discussion with the main farming organisations of matters relating to the designation and conservation of SPAs and other areas designated for nature conservation.