Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 September 2013
719. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if work has commenced on the creation of a national terrestrial and marine habitat map; and if he will outline the stages that have been completed to date. [38097/13]
View answerIn June 2011, a number of State agencies, including the Environment Protection Agency, Ordnance Survey Ireland, Teagasc, the Heritage Council, the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine and my own Department, established a national landcover and habitat working group. The aim of the group is to address the strategic gap in information on landcover, landuse and habitats in Ireland and the initiative was undertaken in accordance with the objectives of Ireland's National Biodiversity Plan, which aims to progress the development of a national terrestrial and marine habitat map by 2015.
As part of this initiative, the EPA undertook a pilot mapping of habitats in County Roscommon utilising existing spatial data accessible to members of the group. Data sources from my Department include baseline and repeat surveys of a range of habitats listed in the EU Habitats Directive or those which provide habitats for species listed in the Directive. The Roscommon pilot identified the feasibility of the approach and also identified gaps in knowledge and data in particular to map unenclosed and upland areas. Further consideration is being given to the outcome of the pilot before developing a national program.
My Department also undertakes habitat mapping within inshore and coastal marine Natura 2000 sites. In many such sites, this has been a collaborative effort with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine so as to facilitate more informed management of aquaculture and sea fisheries. This mapping work, along with the national seabed mapping programme (INFOMAR) and bespoke mapping projects undertaken within the wider public service, is contributing to the development of a national marine habitat map. All such efforts were recently compiled by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government and the Marine Institute to support Initial Assessment reporting as required under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive.
