P r e s s R e l e a s
e
For release May 28th 1998
The Irish Peatland Conservation Council, BirdWatch Ireland, An Taisce, Coastwatch Europe, Crann and the Irish Wildlife Trust.
Ireland's six leading environmental NGOs (non governmental organisations) today called on four specific Ministers to stop the continuing damage to some of Ireland's prime ecological sites.
23 sites that the organisations claim are either damaged or face immediate development include sand dune systems, uplands, bogs and estuaries. The thirteen counties named include Clare, Cork, Donegal, Dublin, Longford, Meath, Tipperary, Offaly, Wexford, Wicklow, Waterford, West Meath and Kerry.
Damage listed varies from wetland reclamation, commercial peat extraction (extended this year in spite of designation for nature protection) through roads, fish factories, wind turbines, golf courses and leisure centres.
The six NGOs demand that the relevant Ministers act now to protect our natural heritage. In particular they call on, Ms Sile De Valera TD, Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht, and the Islands; Mr Noel Dempsey TD, Minister for the Environment; Mr Michael Woods TD, Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources and Mr Charlie McCreevy TD, Minister for Finance.
At a press conference in Dublin the NGOs today claimed that of Ireland's 800 proposed Natural Heritage Areas 0 have legal protection because of successive Government delays in amending the 1976 Wildlife Act. A further 400 sites required as Special Areas of Conservation under the Habitats Directive have yet to be notified to the European Commission, although the deadline for this was June of 1995. The 100+ sites so far designated as SPAs continue to be damaged and threatened.
Further, the boundaries of "protected" sites originally surveyed with European Commission funding are being re-drawn to exclude areas planned for development. And SPAs and SACs which have been damaged by unauthorised developments are not being restored in spite of the fact that 75% funding is available from the European Commission.
The Six environmental NGOs are seeking Governmental commitment to seven fundamental actions:
Publication of the much delayed Wildlife Bill to update the 1976 Amendment Act.
Restoration of "protected" sites which have been damaged by unauthorised activities.
Submission of list of Special Areas of Conservation to the European Commission.
Open and transparent appeals process for the designation of SAC's to be established.
Clarification of legislation and Ministerial responsibilities relating to habitat protection.
Allocation of further essential resources to the National Parks and Wildlife Service, by the Department of Finance.
Adequate and independent assessment of negative developments proposed for "protected" sites.
Quote: Peter Foss, Chairman of the Irish Peatland Conservation Council, "Lack of protection on the part of the Government has meant that the protected areas aren't worth the paper they are printed on - as a result every day we are loosing precious bogs to development" (Phone: 01 8722397).
The following bogs have already been damaged or are threatened by development:
All Saints Bog, Co Offaly - Moss peat extraction
Clara Bog - Turbary Rights and private peat extraction
Clonfinane, Co Tipperary - Moss peat extraction
Ballykenny, Co Longford - Drainage and moss peat extraction
Barnesmore, Co Donegal - Wind turbines and road
Pollardstown Fen, Co Kildare - Road development
Scragh, Co Donegal - Dam and road development
ends
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