Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 July 2021
64. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the reason a bye law on the Lough Corrib special area of conservation 000297 uses the term, managed primarily for the benefit of salmonids, given the addition of the words primarily managed is a dilution of the SAC and may impact on the integrity of the SAC; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39760/21]
View answerThe Programme for Government contains a commitment to “legislate to designate our Western Lakes as salmonid lakes”. These lakes have long been so designated as a matter of policy. The proposed Bye-law, intended to give effect to the commitment, and referred to by the Deputy is currently in working draft form. A public consultation on a final draft is due to commence shortly and the draft will be publically available at that stage. All interested stakeholders will have an opportunity to make their views known during the consultation period.
In parallel, the Department has tendered for an independent Appropriate Assessment (AA), in line with the requirements of the EU Habitats Directive to be undertaken to bring independent professional advice to bear on potential impacts of the bye-law on the conservation objectives of the waters concerned. The final draft bye-law will be subject to legal advice.
