Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 November 2021
392. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the co-funding arrangements with the EU Commission that apply to the Prioritised Action Framework 2021-2027 (details supplied); if the survey of urban gulls listed in the framework is included in the co-funding arrangement; and if so, the portion of the cost that is or will be covered by the EU fund. [52896/21]
View answerArticle 8.2 of the Habitats Directive (Council Directive 92/43/EEC on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora), requires the European Commission, in agreement with Member States, to assess the financing, including the co-financing, required to maintain or restore protected habitats and species which are to be reflected in Prioritised Action Frameworks (PAFs) for each Member State, and which in turn are to have regard to the available sources of funding under relevant EU funding instruments.
The Prioritised Action Framework is a strategic multiannual planning tool, aimed at providing a comprehensive overview of the prioritised measures that are needed to manage the EU-wide Natura 2000 network (which comprises Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Areas) and its associated green infrastructure.
The Government approved Ireland’s latest Prioritised Action Framework (2021-2027) at the beginning of 2021, and it was then sent to the Commission for adoption.
This PAF identifies the financing needs for prioritised measures for the period 2021-2027, and links them to the relevant EU funding programmes. The estimated costs in the Prioritised Action Framework for Ireland are not commitments to funding, rather they are indications of the level of investment required to manage and restore habitats and species in the Natura 2000 network to the status required under the Habitats and Birds Directives.
The Framework identifies potential funding instruments but does not make any determination as to what particular source might be used. It is therefore a strategic planning document and not a commitment to expenditure or funding.
A targeted survey of urban gulls is listed in the Prioritised Action Framework for Ireland (2021-2027). An urban gull survey was commissioned by the National Parks and Wildlife Service in 2021. It was entirely funded through the national exchequer.
