Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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447. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if it is her policy to inform landholders if their land is to be designated a special protection area, special area of conservation or natural heritage area; the other methods by which the public are made aware of such proposed designations; the number of appeals received by the appeals advisory board, since the inception of these designations, against designation; the number of these that went to a full oral hearing; the number of cases in which the advice of the board was varied by her and the years in which this happened; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37092/16]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Ireland is committed to the implementation of the EU Nature Directives. To this end, Ireland has identified 439 sites for protection as special areas of conservation under the Habitats Directive and 154 sites for protection as special protection areas under the Birds Directive. In addition, there are 155 natural heritage areas designated under national legislation.

Legal protections, consistent with those set out in the relevant EU and national legislation, such as the requirement to obtain consent for certain activities, have applied to these sites since initially proposed for designation. Ireland's planning and environmental legislation have operated under these designations since the time the sites were first advertised for designation.

In advance of the designation of a site, my Department writes to all identified land owners with a legal interest in the site, outlining the intention to designate the site, the appeals process and how to get further information. Public notices in relation to the proposed designation are placed in the media. Government Departments, public authorities, State and semi-State agencies, and bodies representing environmental, farming and business interests, are also notified directly.

Since it began, the Designated Areas Appeals Advisory Board has received 990 appeals against the proposed designation of sites. Some 279 have progressed to a full oral hearing, with a recommendation made to the Minister. Of the remaining cases, 246 appeals remain to be heard and the remainder were either withdrawn or resolved with my Department without the Board's involvement. In 27 cases, the Minister either accepted the Board's recommendation in part or rejected the recommendation. In all other cases, the recommendation was accepted in full.

The 27 cases referred to occurred in the following years: