Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 15 Nov 2000

Vol. 526 No. 1

Written Answers. - Natural Heritage Areas.

Ulick Burke

Ceist:

227 Mr. U. Burke asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands the financial allocation and spend for each of the past four years for the implementation of the Habitats Directive and the conservation of natural heritage in view of the allocation of £93 million for the conservation of archaeological heritage in the recent past. [26023/00]

Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands (Miss de Valera)

The allocations and spend for the national parks and wildlife services of my Department for the implementation of the habitats directive and the conservation of natural heritage for each of the years 1997 – 2000 are as follows:

Year	Estimates Allocation	Expenditure
	£	£
1997	13,459,000	8,550,682
1998	24,324,000	11,737,903
1999	23,239,000	18,374,869
2000	18,551,000	9,000,000(approx to date).

The difference between the estimates and expenditure in 1997 arose because the payment under the rural environment protection scheme operated by the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development of amounts additional to standard rates to farmers with land in proposed SACs was not approved by the EU Commission in 1997. Farming conditions to protect such areas could not, therefore, be generally applied in that year. The differences in the years 1998 and 1999 arose in relation to the resolution of issues in connection with the SAC scheme and claims for compensation being less than anticipated.

Thomas Gildea

Ceist:

228 Mr. Gildea asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands with reference to the ESB's proposal to construct a new high tension power line through some of the most sensitive and protected areas of County Donegal, if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the ESB has conceded that it is technically feasible to lay the proposed line underground but that it refuses to consider this option on grounds of cost; the reason all other utilities have to bear the cost of burying their service lines, including increasingly telecom's but the ESB is allowed to claim immunity from such costs and is thereby permitted to inflict severe damage on the environment in sensitive and protected areas. [26093/00]

Thomas Gildea

Ceist:

229 Mr. Gildea asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the current inaction of Dúchas in the matter of driving an ESB high tension powerline through national heritage areas in County Donegal could result in prosecution by the European Court of Justice for breach of the EU Habitats Directive; and if she is prepared to risk this country being found guilty for the desecration of some of the finest wilderness scenery. [26094/00]

Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands (Miss de Valera)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 228 and 229 together.

I understand the decision of Donegal County Council, as planning authority, on 4 May 2000 to grant, subject to conditions, permission for the overhead lines has been appealed to An Bord Pleanála. As the board has arranged to hold an oral hearing on the appeals on 5-8 December 2000 in Dungloe, I am not, in the interests of justice to all the parties, prepared to comment on aspects of the proposed development pending a final decision under the Local Government (Planning and Development) code.

Question No. 230 taken with Question No. 102.

Question No. 231 taken with Question No. 90.

Question No. 232 taken with Question No. 104.

Question No. 233 taken with Question No. 150.