Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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266. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the actions he has taken to rectify violations of the EU habitats directive by Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39555/20]

Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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The European Commission has concluded that Ireland is not in compliance with the EU Habitats Directive as regards the designation of special areas of conservation, the setting of site-specific conservation objectives and the establishment of site-specific conservation measures for these sites.

My Department has in place a special areas of conservation designation, conservation and management work programme. Under this programme, 276 sites have been formally designated as special areas of conservation by Statutory Instrument, site specific conservation objectives have been published for 364 special area of conservation sites and site specific conservation measures have been prepared for 53 sites. The Department is working to identify and list necessary conservation measures for each Habitats Directive Annex I habitat and Annex II species on a site-by-site basis. This will include integration of conservation measures already being delivered.

Furthermore, a range of conservation schemes are in place such as the European Innovation Partnerships, GLAS (green, low-carbon agri-environment scheme) and the native woodland scheme administered by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the Farm Plan Scheme administered by the National Parks and Wildlife Service of the Department. My Department has been allocated additional funding for the conservation of the natural heritage under Budget 2021 and will be allocating further funds for this work for the coming year.

Sites are protected under Irish law from the time they are publicly nominated for designation as special areas of conservation i.e. all 439 special area of conservation sites are protected under the provisions of the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011.