Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senators for their comments and passion. Regarding amendment No. 19, Government amendment No. 11 provides that within the context of a review of natural heritage areas and selecting the most suitable bog habitats to be designated or to cease to be designated, regard would be had to recreational sporting needs, including greenways, appropriate to bog habitats as well as to national, regional and local economic, social and cultural needs, as already provided for in the Bill. I have also ensured that any regard to the recreational sporting needs appropriate to bog habitats in a review of a natural heritage area would be subject to a strategic environmental assessment, including public consultation in the carrying out of any other screening for assessment or, as the case may be, the assessment if required.

The Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2016 strikes a balance between the need to maintain or restore bog habitats to a favourable conservation status, to live up to our EU obligations, and to work with landowners, turf cutters and local communities. I am endeavouring to ensure this delicate balance is maintained and there is not increased pressure to dedesignate certain sites where there is a valid environmental reason to keep such sites designated as natural heritages areas. If such dedesignations were to interfere with any national conservation objective target area for bog habitat within the special areas of conservation and natural heritage area networks, this would lead to difficulties, for example, with the European Commission.

Natural heritage areas are also part of the national conservation objective target, for example, for raised bog habitat within the special areas of conservation and natural heritage area networks. Therefore, in that way, natural heritage areas are linked to the habitats directive, and I understand natural heritage areas were designated in response to an infringement case by the European Commission against Ireland regarding national, regional and local economic, social and cultural needs, as provided for in any natural heritage area review.

Government amendment No. 11 provides that a natural heritage area review would have regard to recreational and sporting needs, including greenways. I believe we have taken cognisance of the concerns that were raised by Senators. I would have a concern that the amendment has the potential to upset the balance of the Bill and, therefore, I do not believe it should be accepted.

Amendment No. 38 reads:

In page 6, between lines 6 and 7, to insert the following:“‘greenway’ means a recreational or pedestrian corridor reserved exclusively for non-motorised journeys, developed in an integrated manner for the purpose of enhancement of the environment and quality of life in the surrounding area;”.

The proposed amendment inserts a definition of “greenway” in the definitions within the Bill. This definition has been included on the advice of the Office of Parliamentary Counsel. It is taken from the Lille declaration of the European Greenways Association from 12 September 2000 and is also set out in Ireland’s national greenway strategy. There may be opportunities to develop recreational facilities such as walking routes or greenways within natural heritage areas building upon existing routes within these sites.

For a number of protected raised bog sites, local communities are already working with the National Parks and Wildlife Service at the Department in this regard. For example, under the peatlands community engagement scheme 2019 administered by the Department, funding has been awarded to a community group to carry out maintenance work under phase 2 of the enhancement work related to an existing bog road within a raised bog special area of conversation and to install interpretative and directional signage. The scheme aims to encourage local communities, groups, schools and interested parties to engage with the Department on the conservation of raised bog special areas of conservation, raised bog natural heritage areas and other raised bog areas to promote public engagement and awareness of our natural heritage.