Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 28 Nov 1995

Vol. 458 No. 8

Written Answers. - Proposed National Heritage Areas.

Michael Creed

Ceist:

60 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht the procedures, if any, that are in place in his Department for consultation with affected landowners whose property has been designated as proposed national heritage areas; and the effect, if any, such designation will have on pre-existing uses for such lands, particularly for agricultural purposes. [17704/95]

Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht (Mr. M. Higgins)

Natural Heritage Areas (NHAs) will not be designated until the Wildlife Act, 1976, is amended, all known land owners and occupiers in the areas proposed for designation have been informed and any objections to designations have been considered.

The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) met with the farming and conservation organisations, prior to the public advertisement of proposed NHAs, and discussed the project with them. Their views have been noted and taken into consideration and their assistance is appreciated.

NHAs are proposals at present and the consultation process is ongoing and will continue. The NPWS is attending public meetings and rural environment protection scheme (REPS) training courses in order to explain the proposed NHA classification to land owners and occupiers. Efforts to identify all land owners and occupiers with land included within the proposed NHAs are continuing. The NPWS has met and continues to meet representatives of local communities, and individuals where the communities or individuals request such meetings.

Where land owners or occupiers find that the inclusion of their lands in a proposed NHA is causing a difficulty they may discuss the matter with the local wildlife ranger or district wildlife officer of the NPWS. The officer concerned will arrange to examine the land and see if an error has occurred. In the event that such discussions fail to resolve matters an individual may apply to the headquarters of the NPWS, for the case to be reviewed by scientists, removed from the selection procedures, who have been arranged to examine such cases.

As the areas included in the proposed NHA were selected on the basis of their specified wildlife conservation value, a successful applicant will have to show that the specified wildlife interest does not, in fact, exist on the land in question.

The proposed NHAs place no formal conditions on these lands and have no effect on the pre-existing use of these lands pending whatever provisions are made in the amendment to the 1976 Wildlife Act.

They do not affect ownership rights, including access, grazing, sporting or turbary rights or existing use of land. It is intended to protect them by obtaining the co-operation and goodwill of landowners and farmers. Farmers are asked not to engage in development or activities which will damage these areas. It is EU and Government policy not to grant-aid environmentally damaging developments. All grant-aiding bodies have been advised of the location of the proposed NHAs and will take account of them when deciding whether or not any particular development is eligible for a grant. In the event of refusing grant-aid, the refusal is based on the likely damage to the environment and not the fact that the land is included in a proposed NHA.

Planning authorities have been asked to include the areas in their development plans and to afford the NPWS an opportunity to make representations or to submit reports on any adverse development likely to impact on these sites. The NPWS will avail of the planning process to object to any damaging development.