I propose to take Questions Nos. 386 and 387 together.
During the planning stage of this project my Department's National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) raised concerns that placing the road in a cutting could potentially have adverse impacts on Pollardstown Fen, which is a Special Area of Conservation. This view was accepted by the National Roads Authority and Kildare County Council, and it was decided that potential impacts could be reduced by constructing a tank around the road.
Monitoring since construction of the bypass has shown that impacts have been confined to a small but significant area of the Fen and the major feature of concern has been a reduction in the population of the protected species Vertigo geyeri. While some habitats (Alkaline fen, Tufa springs) have been affected to some extent, the impacts involved are not considered to be significant, and may have been caused by the combined effects of climatic conditions during the monitoring period, and the construction of the bypass. The final monitoring report on the Kildare bypass is expected this year and may provide further clarification on these issues and whether there will be any permanent impact on water levels in the Fen.
Information regarding the cost of the tanking solution and of the monitoring and remedial work undertaken to date by the National Roads Authority and Kildare County Council is not available to my Department. My Department is currently developing a management plan for Pollardstown Fen Special Area of Conservation which will take account of the impact of this project, and address the ongoing work required to ensure that favourable conservation status of the site is achieved and maintained.