Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 30 Oct 1996

Vol. 470 No. 7

Written Answers. - Natural Heritage Areas.

Edward Nealon

Ceist:

113 Mr. Nealon asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht the areas of County Sligo which have been designated as national heritage areas; and the reason each particular area was designated a national heritage area. [19706/96]

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

No natural heritage areas have been designated to date and I do not intend to designate any such areas until after the Wildlife Act, 1976, has been amended by the Oireachtas. I expect to be in a position to introduce the relevant Bill in the Dáil before the end of this year.

Areas of ecological interest have been advertised throughout the country as proposed natural heritage areas as part of the pre-designation consultation process. The sites proposed in County Sligo are:

Arboline and Horse Islands, Yellow Strand and Ballintemple, Aughris Head, Ballygawley Lough, Ballysadare Bay, Ben Bulben, Gleniff and Glenade Complex, Bricklieve Mountains and Keishcorran, Bunduff Lough and Machair/ Trawalua/Mullaghmore, Cloongoonagh Bog, Colgagh Lough, Corhawnagh Lough, Dunneill River, Easky River, Feenagh and Bunnamuck Loughs, Fin and Riskeen Loughs, Flughany Bog, Glencar Cliffs, Greenan Fen, Inishmurray, Killala Bay/Moy Estuary, Knocklongy and Knockachree Cliffs, Knockmullin Fen, Knockarea Mountain and Glen, Lough Arrow, Lough Dargan, Lough Gara, Lough Gill, Lough Hoe Bog, Lough Nabrickeagh Bog, Meharth Lough, Moylough Turlough, Ox Mountains Bog, Quarryfield West Turlough, Sligo and Drumcliff Bays, Streedagh Point Dunes, Templehouse and Cloonacleigha Loughs, Turloughmore, Union Wood, Unshin River.

To facilitate the Deputy I am arranging to have maps indicating the location of the sites forwarded separately to him. The sites were chosen on account of their ecological relevance and the criteria used are outlined in my reply to today's Question No. 114.

Edward Nealon

Ceist:

114 Mr. Nealon asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht the criteria used for the designation of an area as a national heritage area; the person who, in the first place, initiates the process by which an area is designated a national heritage area; the person who is responsible for the final decision; if there is any system of appeal by land owners who are not in agreement with the decision to designate particular properties as national heritage areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19707/96]

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

No natural heritage areas have been designated to date. Designation will not occur until amending legislation to the Wildlife Act, 1976, has been enacted. I expect to introduce the necessary Bill to the House before the end of the year. The Bill will also establish a formal system for hearing objections to NHA designations.

The areas likely to receive NHA designation have been advertised as proposals and interested parties may, if they so wish, informally object through the National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department either to have land included or excluded from a proposed NHA.

The proposed NHAs were identified as a result of a survey by the NPWS of areas formerly classified as areas of scientific interest. Areas which, on the basis of scientific assessment, satisfied the relevant criteria, were proposed to me by the NPWS for NHA designation. The criteria used in the election procedure are outlined in the Appendix.

The final decision on which areas are to be formally designated will be taken by me following a period of consultation with affected landowners and users and with local communities and other interested parties.

APPENDIX

Lands were selected for proposal as natural heritage areas if, on the basis of current scientific knowledge, they were judged to warrant designation by reference to one or more of the following criteria.

(a) Protection of the site will make a substantial contribution to the conservation of one or more species which are considered vulnerable, rare or endangered in the site's locality or region, or in Ireland, or in Europe and whose survival in the area depends on the protection of the area and the habitats contained in it;

(b) the site contains habitats which are judged to be rare or endangered in the site's locality or region, or in Ireland, or in Europe, or which, where they do occur, are normally subject to a much greater degree of damage or disturbance;

(c) It contains habitats which, if they were to be destroyed, could never be re-created or which could not be re-created within a reasonable timescale or at a reasonable cost;

(d) It warrants conservation on the grounds of its diversity of species, plant or animal communities, habitats or structural features — such diversity being judged by reference to other sites of a similar or related types;

(e) It contains geological or geomorphological features or land forms which are rare in its locality or region, or in Ireland or in Europe, or which, where they do occur, are normally subject to a much greater degree of damage or disturbance;

(f) It contains habitats, geological and geomorphological features, landforms or other natural features considered as good representative examples of their type with reference to the range of natural variation in such features;

(g) It is one of a number of sites whose conservation is essential in order to conserve the full range of natural variation in a given species;

(h) Conservation of the entire area is essential on the grounds that it comprises a landscape unit which contains a number of natural features, the combined conservation value of which is greater by virtue of their occurence in one area;

(i) It has the potential, if appropriately managed, to qualify under one or more of the above criteria, in a reasonable timescale and at reasonable cost;

(j) It is judged to warrant selection as a Special Protection Area (SPA) under the EU Birds Directive, or as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) under the EU Habitats Directive.

Edward Nealon

Ceist:

115 Mr. Nealon asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht the areas of County Leitrim which have been designated as national heritage areas; and the reason each particular area was designated a national heritage area. [19708/96]

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

No natural heritage areas have been designated to date and I do not intend to designate any such areas until the Wildlife Act, 1976, has been amended by the Oireachtas. I expect to be in a position to introduce the relevant Bill in the Dáil before the end of this year.

Areas of ecological interest have been advertised throughout the country as proposed natural heritage areas as part of the pre-designation consultation process. The sites proposed in County Leitrim are: Aghavoghil Stream, Aghnamona Bog, Annaghearly Lough, Arroo Mountain, Barleat and Lackagh Bogs, Ben Bulben, Gleniff and Glenade Complex, Bonet River, Bunduff Lough and Machair/Trawalua/Mullaghmore, Carrickaport Lough, Cashel Bog, Cloonageeher Bog, Clooncoe Wood and Lough, Corduff Lough, Corracramph Bog, Cromlin Bridge Wood, Cuilcagh-Anierin Uplands, Drumhierny Woods, Gardice Lough Woods, Glasshouse Lake, Glenade Lough, Kilgarriff Marsh, Kinlough Wood, Lough Allen South end and parts, Lough Boderg and Lough Bofin, Lough Drumharlow, Lough Errew, Lough Gill, Lough Melvin, Lough Rinn, Lough Sallagh, O'Donnell's Rock Wood Owengar Wood, Rinn River, Sheemore.

To facilitate the Deputy I am arranging to have maps indicating the location of the sites forwarded separately to him. The sites were chosen on account of their ecological relevance and the criteria used are outlined in my reply to today's Question No. 114.