Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 6 June 2012
734 Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide details of the number of times that the Natura 2000 steering committee met in the past six months; the dates and the issues discussed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26352/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Steering Group on Natura Compliance in Sea Fisheries and Aquaculture was an informal co-ordination group established by and co-chaired by my Department and the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, which has responsibility for the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), together with the relevant State Agencies.
The main purpose of this informal co-ordination group was to put in place structures, procedures and arrangements which would enable progressive delivery by Ireland, in a multi-year plan, of its obligations for compliance in respect to sea fisheries and aquaculture under the EU Habitats and Birds Directives. The arrangements or road map drawn up by this co-ordination group and approved by Ministers was laid before the EU Commission in the context of the European Court of Justice Judgement against Ireland in this matter. The informal co-ordination steering group put in place arrangements for the progressive collection of necessary benthic, ornithological and other data in relevant marine Natura sites, the progressive development of conservation objectives in those sites, the progressive completion of Appropriate Assessments and the establishment of fisheries Natura plans and other arrangements so as to enable a progressive role out of consent determination in line with the Natura obligations once all the requested preconditions are met.
The informal Steering Group was established a number of years ago and met very frequently at the point where it was establishing the structures, procedures and arrangements for delivering compliance with the obligations under the Natura Directives. The programmes and arrangements put in place under the Steering Group are now being implemented by the relevant Departments and Agencies who are and have been driving this process forward. There are regular inter-agency and interdepartmental contacts and meetings on specific issues arising. The primary functions of the informal Steering Committee in establishing the arrangements is to an extent met and the informal Steering Group last met on 26th of October 2011.
There are now regular inter Agency and inter Departmental meetings and close operational contacts on specific aspects of this matter. For example, an all day meeting took in Galway on 23rd May on Aquaculture Natura related issues. That meeting was between the two Departments and their Agencies and discussed specific aquaculture licensing aspects arising from the Natura Directives. Further such meetings are anticipated. In the event that broader difficulties or issues arise in the implementation of the arrangements put in place, or there is any other useful purpose which can be contributed to, the Steering Committee it can be re-convened at short notice whenever necessary.
