Noel Grealish (Galway West, Progressive Democrats)
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Question 691: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will make a statement on the statistics from the EU as of March 2005, indicating a designated Irish terrestrial area of 717,450 hectares (details supplied). [30760/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I assume that the question refers to the publication in March 2005 by the European Commission of details of the contribution of each member state towards a network of ecologically important areas, the Natura 2000 network, within the European Union. In December 2004, the Commission adopted national lists of candidate special areas of conservation as sites of Community importance in accordance with the provisions of the habitats directive. The Irish list so adopted comprises 413 sites. The habitats in the Irish list of sites include raised bog, blanket bog, turloughs, sand dunes, machair, rivers, lakes, woodlands and estuaries. I am satisfied that Ireland is contributing in a proportionate manner to conserving the natural heritage of Ireland and of Europe for future generations.