Vol. 537 No. 2
58 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands if the River Liffey, which is the only river flowing through a capital city in Europe that has a wild salmon stock, and its tributaries, are on the list of salmon sites included or being considered for inclusion in the special areas of conservation under the EU directive on habitats. [14556/01]
To determine which rivers in Ireland best meet the required scientific standards for special areas of conservation for salmon, staff of my Department consulted widely, particularly with the central and regional fisheries boards. I am satisfied that this has resulted in extensive information on salmon distribution and abundance being brought to bear on the selection of rivers to be proposed as SACs for salmon. On the basis of this information it has been concluded that the River Liffey does not meet the required standard. I do not therefore intend to propose it for designation as a special area of conservation.
