Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

Special areas of conservation were proposed in respect of major river systems, including the Boyne-Blackwater, the Barrow-Nore, the Suir and the Slaney in June 2003. The proposal of sites for designation as SACs is nearing completion and it is time to move on to active management of these sites.

I have also made significant progress towards designating additional special protection areas under the birds directive and the designation of natural heritage areas under the Wildlife Acts. I signed 58 orders to protect raised bog sites as natural heritage areas in December last year. In years to come, people will look back on this period as the time the most far-sighted steps since the foundation of the State were taken to protect our built and natural heritage for future generations. Only a Fianna Fáil-led Government could have done it.

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