asked the Minister for the Environment the steps he intends to take to protect areas of scientific interest through the planning process, given that activities such as afforestation, development for agricultural purposes, land reclamation and drainage particularly threaten these areas and are exempted from control under the Planning Acts at present; and if his attention has been drawn to the fact that in the case of many of these sites their zoning under the local development plan prepared under the Planning Acts is at present the only protection of any kind they are afforded; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Areas of Scientific Interest.
133.
When dealing with planning applications, planning authorities must have regard to the provisions, including any zoning provisions, of their development plan. This affords a significant degree of protection to areas identified in the development plan as of scientific interest.
Comprehensive regulations under the European Communities Act, 1972, to explicitly incorporate into Irish law the EC Directive on Environmental Impact Assessment are being finalised in my Department. These regulations will provide for the carrying out of environmental impact assessments in respect of certain types of development likely to have significant effects on the environment, including certain of the activities referred to by the Deputy.