Mark Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I concur with the point made by Senator Ó Clochartaigh on special areas of conservation. Will the regulations include a provision that licences will not be granted in special areas of conservation? The farming community finds it difficult to do any works on lands located within a special area of conservation. Is it appropriate and does it waste the time of companies to allow licence applications to be made and possibly granted in respect of areas that fall within special areas of conservation when the chances of mining or engaging in any activity in the area in question is limited? One wonders if this will be the case. I am sure farmers are aggrieved that they are not permitted to engage in anything more than minimal activity in a special area of conservation when there is a possibility that mining companies will be allowed to remove the side of a mountain if they are granted a licence. This issue is of interest to everybody, especially the farming community. It is only fair to mining companies and anyone else applying for a prospecting licence that they be made aware that applications pertaining to special areas of conservation will not be granted because these areas are protected locations and habitats. This must be spelled out either in the regulations or legislation.