Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

My Department, in conjunction with a number of other Departments and agencies, has been engaged in a significant programme of work to meet the requirements of this case since the judgment issued in 2007. The majority of issues in the judgment have now been addressed to the satisfaction of the European Commission and no fines have been applied against the State. However, the case is not yet closed, as some unresolved elements remain. These issues, and actions to deal with them, have been agreed with the Commission and are set out in a programmes of measures, which may be viewed on the Department’s website. Progress on implementation is demonstrated by six-monthly updates of the programme, co-ordinated by the Department.

The background to the case was to create a comprehensive scheme of protection for all wild bird species naturally occurring in the European Union, which was adopted by a directive in 1979 in response to increasing concern about the decline in Europe's wild bird population resulting from pollution and loss of habitats as well as unsustainable use. It is recognised that many wild bird species are migratory and require international co-operation for their conservation. The codified version of the directive, which was adopted in 2009, places great emphasis on the protection of habitats for endangered as well as migratory species, particularly through the establishment of a network of special protection areas comprising all the most suitable territories for the species.

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