Michelle Mulherin (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I rise to ask that the Leader invite the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Josepha Madigan, to this Chamber to debate issues arising from the habitats and birds directive, particularly in the context of Project Ireland 2040 and the various infrastructural projects that have been identified such as roads, rail, ports, etc.

The directive designates lands as special areas of conservation. It seems to me that such designation is very difficult to overcome when one seeks to develop the land. In the normal course, one cannot interfere with a habitat that forms part of a special area of conservation, SAC. Also, the opportunity to mitigate using engineering works in order to make a project acceptable, such as a road, are very slim. This situation can be overcome by management plans but, unfortunately, such plans are few and far between in this country. I want to cite Mayo as an example because 50% of the county has been designated an SAC. Therefore, it is no surprise that in the past while every piece of infrastructure that we have tried to develop has stalled. In 2010, development of the N26 was refused due to the potential impact on the habitat of Whooper swans. Also, part of the road was over designed and two bridges were deemed necessary for an SAC, which was the River Moy valley. We are now trying to upgrade a bridge located on a national primary road or N26, which dates from the last century. There is an issue as it is an SAC with alluvial woodland and, potentially, freshwater pearl mussels. We had an issue with flooding in Crossmolina. We were told that we could not dredge the river due to the presence of freshwater pearl mussels. More recently, An Bord Pleanála has refused an application for the building of a bridge on the R312 that runs between Castlebar and Belmullet due the existence of freshwater pearl mussels.

There are problems in every area located along the western seaboard. I will cite another example located outside of my county of Mayo, which is the road from Galway to Clifden. The situation is only going to get worse. We have plans and money to build. Are we going to succeed with the way things stand? There needs to be an intervention. We need management plans that allow for human activity, human progress and economic growth. We do not have all of those things right now and we are being tortured with the habitats directive. We want to be responsible and we want development. It is critical as we seek to develop and grow, under Project Ireland 2040, that the Minister is invited in here for a debate. I ask that the Leader invites her here, as a matter of urgency.