Pádraic McCormack (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Question 227: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the steps he will take to ensure that the traditional annual horse racing can take place in 2007 at Errismore, Ballyconneely, County Galway where horse racing has taken place for hundreds of years; if he will clarify the objections the Wildlife Section of the Office of Public Works and the National Wildlife Parks have to the continuation of this traditional annual event; if he will make an order allowing this annual local racing to take place again in June 2007; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8182/07]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has not received an application for a horseracing event to take place in 2007 at the above site.

However, applications for horse racing at Aillebrack beach were refused in 2005 and 2006 after detailed consideration of all issues involved. The most fundamental consideration was that a race meeting would have a significant negative impact on the machair habitat, which is a priority habitat under the EU Habitats Directive. Ireland has special responsibility for the conservation of machair as, within the EU, this habitat only occurs in Ireland and Scotland. My Department's determination of this matter was based on experience gained in 2004, when the race was permitted but resulted in significant damage to the machair.