Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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351. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government when Lough Corrib became a candidate special area of conservation, considering that there are conflicting dates on the public record, both domestic and European; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68968/25]

Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South-West, Fianna Fail)
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The EU Directive on the Conservation of Habitats, Flora and Fauna (92/43/EEC), commonly known as “the Habitats Directive” requires Member States to select sites, for the protection of habitats and species that are considered threatened in the EU territory and listed on the Annexes to the Directive. Sites were selected to protect habitats and species listed in the Habitats Directive are known as Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and form part of the Natura 2000 network of protected sites across Europe.

The Habitats Directive is transposed into Irish law by way of inter aliathe European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011. The designation of every SAC in Ireland involves a comprehensive procedure including notification, objections, appeals, and final formal designation by Statutory Instrument.

Lough Corrib was proposed to the European Commission as a Site of Community Importance in May 1998. Once the European Commission, in agreement with the Member States and based on scientific criteria, officially adopts the proposed list, the site's status is confirmed as a Site of Community Importance.

My Department issued notification of its intention to designate Lough Corrib as a candidate SAC on 13th August 1999. The site was formally designated by way of Statutory Instrument on 27th July 2022 and this designation was published in Iris Oifigiúil on 2nd August 2022.

A candidate SAC it is afforded the necessary legal protection under Irish law as a ‘European Site’ from the date initial notification, while the full designation process is being concluded in accordance with the requirements of the Habitats Directive.

Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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352. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government to detail the relevant agencies and local angling stakeholders the National Parks and Wildlife Service engaged with to prevent the introduction of the invasive demon shrimp (dikerogammarus haemobaphes) into Lough Corrib SAC, considering that the species has now been found in Portumna, County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68969/25]

Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South-West, Fianna Fail)
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Demon Shrimp (Dikerogammarus haemobaphes) was first detected on 30 September 2025 in the Shannon River below Lough Derg. Its pathway of arrival is unknown, but it is likely to have hitchhiked on watercraft or angling equipment.

A species alert, urging water users to employ strict biosecurity measures, through the Check Clean Dry protocol, was issued and widely circulated by the National Biodiversity Data Centre to Government departments and agencies, stakeholders, and the general public. This alert is available to view on www.invasives.ie. I have also attached a copy of the alert for convenience.

Furthermore, Waterways Ireland has commissioned assessment surveys of Lough Derg and Lough Ree to check for presence of demon shrimp. The Marine Institute has been commissioned to carry out eDNA analysis to test water samples taken from various sites in and outside of the Shannon catchment for the presence of demon shrimp via their DNA.

All water users following the Check Clean Dry protocol provides the best opportunity to reduce the risk of this and other invasive species spreading to new sites. NPWS and the NBDC continue to raise awareness around Check Clean Dry through species alerts, via social media channels, and with angling representative groups.

The discovery of this species in Ireland highlights how critical it is that all water users practice Check Clean Dry to help prevent the spread of invasive species and help protect our waterways.

Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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353. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if his Department and the National Parks and Wildlife Service still follow the flawed policy of accepting a 15% permissible disturbance threshold for protected habitats in special areas of conservation and special protection areas, as referenced in multiple historical appropriate assessments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68970/25]

Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South-West, Fianna Fail)
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Article 6 (3) of the Habitats Directive requires an appropriate assessment for any plan or project likely to have a significant effect on a Natura 2000 site. The supporting document prepared by NPWS for the site-specific objectives for marine European sites (SACs) explains how it is to be used. The 15% threshold referenced is only applied in appropriate assessments undertaken in the marine environment, and specifically in relation to the assessment of effects of continuous disturbance on soft sediment biological communities - marine community types within the Annex I habitats, that experience substantial natural variation due to natural events. These communities are mostly comprised of infaunal invertebrates and are both resilient to, and recover quickly from, disturbance. It is intended to be used in the assessment of licensed activities that do not permanently alter the Structure and Function of these habitats. It is not suggested to be applied to the assessment of effects of activities on the area of permanent habitat within a Natura Site. It is also not to be applied to keystone habitats such as Zostera or mäerl which are more susceptible to long term impact.