Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 1886: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the progress made in the designation of natural heritage areas; and the timeframe proposed for the completion of the process. [2507/07]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Proposals for designation of Natural Heritage Areas (NHAs) were originally published in 1994, and that the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000 provided a statutory basis for the designation of NHAs.

155 sites have been formally proposed as NHAs and 148 of these have already been designated for the conservation of raised and blanket bog under individual Statutory Instruments. The other seven proposed sites have been selected for their ornithological interest and work is being advanced to bring draft Statutory Instruments for these to completion.

Priority is now being given to completion of Ireland's suite of NATURA 2000 sites under the EU Habitats and Birds Directives and it is not planned to publish further proposals for NHAs in 2007. However, preparatory work required for such proposals is proceeding with a view to designating further NHAs from 2008 onwards.