Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 627: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of proposals that his Department is opposing at European Council at any stage; the names of such proposals; the reason his Department is taking this position; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33835/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is not opposing any proposal before or being prepared for the EU Environment Council. As is normal at any point in time, there are a number of proposals under consideration for the advancement of sustainable development and the protection of the environment, in particular. These proposals are discussed in various working groups at EU level in preparation for meetings of the Environment Council, at the European Parliament and by our own Oireachtas committees. Such broad consideration of proposals is aimed at achieving consensus in moving towards the achievement of our environmental objectives.

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 628: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the exemptions from EU directives or regulations that Ireland has achieved in his Department's competency area; the reason his Department requested each exemption; if it is intended to give up any of these exemptions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33850/05]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 629: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the exemptions from EU directives or regulations that his Department is seeking; the reason his Department is requesting each exemption; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33865/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 628 and 629 together.

My Department has not sought or obtained any exemption as such from EU directives within its remit and is not seeking any.

Ireland has had extremely limited recourse to derogations in the context of the 200 or so items of EU environmental legislation which are in force. We have availed of specific provisions in the Birds Directive 79/409/EEC and the Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC allowing member states to derogate from particular articles of the directives so as to authorise the capture, killing or disturbance of pest wildlife species. Under this arrangement, Ireland has since 1986 invoked periodic derogations allowing for the disturbance of certain bird species at airports for reasons of public safety, and for the capture or killing of species such as crows, magpies and pigeons where they pose a threat to public health or a risk of serious damage to crops or livestock. For similar reasons, my Department also occasionally grants wildlife licences which constitute derogations under one or other of these directives, for the capture, killing or disturbance of particular wildlife species at specified locations.

I have already indicated that, in the context of our action plan to implement the nitrates directive, Ireland, following the precedent of other member states, is proposing a derogation from the general livestock manure limit of 170 kg of nitrogen per hectare per year laid down in the directive.