Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Boyhan for raising this matter. While not commenting in any way on the European case, it relates to what was in place in 2019. The Government and the Department have made seismic advances in terms of registering statutory instruments. We are now down to just 40 and we expect to have them dealt with shortly. I agree that the protection of Ireland's natural habitat is of the utmost importance. The Department is fully committed to continuing the process already ongoing to ensure we will be fully compliant with the directives on birds and habitats. This is why the Government has placed such an emphasis on the transformation in the role of the National Parks and Wildlife Service and its proper resourcing to allow it to carry out its functions and protect nature on behalf of the people of Ireland. I am committed to working closely with all stakeholders and landowners to continue to introduce new initiatives, projects and partnerships to ensure ongoing protection for all of the special Natura 2000 SAC sites.

Senator Boyhan mentioned two sites. There will be statutory instruments in place for both the Burren and Killarney National Park in the coming weeks. The work that has been done by the Department since 2019 in the number of sites registered as special areas of conservation is to be commended. We are now down to 40 statutory instruments remaining. We are working with great efficiency to get those in place as well. The two sites the Senator mentions, the Burren and Killarney National Park, will have statutory instruments in place in the coming weeks.