Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 494: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to conservation issues surrounding the proposed route for a by-pass (details supplied) in County Cork; if so, the action he has taken on the matter; and when the compulsory purchase orders for same will be published. [21538/07]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The process of route selection for major road schemes is intended to allow road proposals to be refined to avoid or mitigate any adverse effects on the environment discovered during that process. The potential scientific importance of woodland adjacent to Ballyvourney was brought to my attention during the process of route selection for a by-pass of the village which is currently being planned by the National Roads Authority (NRA) and Cork County Council as part of the larger N22 Macroom/Ballyvourney Scheme.

Having considered the circumstances, including the presence in the wood of several protected species, I consider that this woodland is sufficiently important from a scientific point of view to extend an existing local woodland Special Area of Conservation under the EU Habitats Directive to include it.

My Department and the NRA have been working together to ensure that any implications for the timeframe for the road project arising from the designation will be minimised. The timing of the publication of the compulsory purchase orders, following public consultation on the revised route selection, will be a matter for the NRA and the local authority.