Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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330. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will set out the list of all lands, including land owner or user removed from the Falcaragh to Meenlaragh special area of conservation, 004149 designation, since the initial commencement of the designation; the exact dates of the de-designation of these lands and the reasons for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6480/14]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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331. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will set out the details in respect of the total number of site visits undertaken by the National Parks and Wildlife Service, whereby NPWS representatives met personally with land owners or users on their land in the Falcarragh to Meenlaragh special area of conservation, 004149; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6481/14]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 330 and 331 together.

Four appeals to the inclusion of land within this Special Protection Area were fully successful at Stage 1 of the appeals process and a further 5 were partly successful. Lands were removed from the site where appeals identified mapping errors or inappropriate inclusions.

While it is not possible to disclose information on individual appellants for data protection reasons, I can advise that these decisions were notified to the appellants by letter from my Department on dates between the 19^th September, 2012 and the 13^th March, 2013. A number of appeals that were unsuccessful at Stage 1 will proceed to Stage 2 and fall to be considered by the Designated Areas Appeals Advisory Board.

While I understand that my officials have had direct contact, including at meetings and through site-visits, with several landowners and others in relation to the proposed designation of this Special Protection Area, the exact number of such encounters has not been recorded.