Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 193: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the implications for land owners who own lands designated as special protection areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37674/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The EU Birds Directive requires Member States to maintain or restore the favourable conservation status of specified species of wild birds. This is done through designating appropriate sites as Special Protection Areas (SPAs) and protecting them. Designation of a site as an SPA may have implications for landowners, as management and use of these lands must have regard to protection of the habitats and species for which the site is designated.

Land use practices that may be affected include, but are not limited to, type of farming, grazing, recreational use, turf cutting, aquaculture, afforestation and construction. Within SPAs, certain specified activities can only be carried out with my consent, as Minister. These notifiable actions vary depending on the type of habitat or species being protected. For activities within, or likely to impact upon, an SPA that require permission or licence from a Government Department, local authority or State body, the consent authority is required to ensure that the activity is appropriately assessed for any impact on the conservation status of that site. These appropriate assessments are a requirement under both the Birds and Habitats Directives and must be undertaken before consent for the activity or development is given. Planning authorities are also required to include SPA sites in all relevant Development Plans and should take their designation into account when assessing any future development proposals in or near a SPA site.

My Department pays a fair and reasonable level of compensation to landowners and users where actual losses are suffered or costs are incurred directly as a result of their lands being designated as a Special Protection Area.

Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 194: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the proposed areas which will be designated as special protection areas; if he will provide this information on a county basis in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37675/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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A breakdown of proposed Special Protection Areas on a county by county basis accompanies this reply. Many sites cross county boundaries and may, therefore, feature on more than one county list. I expect that the completed suite of SPA sites will consist of one hundred and fifty two sites countrywide and that these should be advertised, notified to landowners and designated by Statutory Instrument by the end of 2009.