Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 October 2023
221. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 360 of 26 September 2023, if the lands in question are still designated as geese and swan habitats; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45758/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraI note from the response provided in September 2023, that, of the folio numbers provided, one is fully within both the Middle Shannon Callows SPA and the River Shannon Callows SAC, while the vast majority of the second folio is also within in the same SPA and SAC apart from a very small portion which is outside the designated sites.
Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs) are prime wildlife conservation areas in the country, considered to be important on a European as well as Irish level. The legal basis on which SACs are selected and designated is the EU Habitats Directive, transposed into Irish law by the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011 (S.I. No. 477 of 2011), as amended. Ireland is required under the terms of the EU Birds Directive (2009/147/EC) to designate Special Protection Areas (SPAs) for the protection of:
• Listed rare and vulnerable species
• Regularly occurring migratory species
• Wetlands especially those of international importance
I understand that, as the Deputy refers, in particular, to geese and swans habitat, he may be asking about the eligibility of the area in question for the Geese and Swans action under the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES).
Applicants for the ACRES General approach may be considered for priority access to the scheme if they have at least 0.5 hectare (ha) of land within the Natura (SAC/SPA) mapped area in 2022 and select one of the appropriate actions intersecting the Natura mapped area.
They may also be considered for priority access to the Scheme if they have at least 0.5 ha of land within the Geese and Swan mapped area in 2022 and if they select the Geese and Swan action. It should be noted that the Geese and Swan mapped area used in ACRES is based on the Geese and Swan Hotspot map provided to my Department by BirdWatch Ireland. This map was developed as part of the Farmland Bird Hotspot Mapping Project that was funded by my Department. The maps highlight locations in Ireland with particularly important populations of farmland species of particular interest and was derived from recent bird observation records in various scientifically validated data sets.
While my Department has no involvement in relation to the Geese and Swan Hotspot Mapping provided by BirdWatch Ireland, I understand from the previous response to the Deputy that there has been no change to the designation, under the Directives mentioned, of the holding referred to.
