This section is aimed at imposing a degree of control on (a) other Government Departments and (b) certain public bodies, that is, local authorities, Commissioners of Public Works and certain State-sponsored bodies and companies whose activities could be detrimental to State or privately owned nature reserves, sections 15 and 16; refuges for fauna, section 17; or lands which become the subject of management agreements, section 18.
As regards semi-State bodies and so on, however, it is not the intention that the section would automatically apply to all those covered by subsection (1) (c); it will in fact only apply to such of them as the Minister, under subsection (4), specifies at any time.
Subsection (2) is the kernel of the section in that it obliges Departments of State, other public authorities and relevant semi-State bodies—
(a) to consult the Minister before deciding on doing anything which is likely or liable to affect adversely the areas of special wildlife values mentioned above and
(b) to take all practicable steps to avoid or minimise the effect of such action.