Responses

Legislation

At EU level the Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) and Birds Directive (2009/147/EC) create a comprehensive scheme of protection for wild species and habitats. The most important national legislation on nature conservation are the Wildlife Act, 1976, the Wildlife (Amendment) Act, 2000, and the EU (Natural Habitats) Regulations 1997-2005.

Ireland has designated 424 Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) under the Habitats Directive and 132 Special Protection Areas (SPA) under the Birds Directive. There are a variety of different protected areas designated at national level. Under the Wildlife Act all bird species and some 60 other animal species are afforded protected status, as are 89 species of flora under the Flora Protection Order 1999.

Biodiversity Planning

The National Biodiversity Plan 2002-2006, which is the main tool by which Ireland seeks to meet its commitments under the Rio Convention on Biological Diversity, is currently being reviewed and a National Strategy for Plant Conservation has also been developed.

Action/threat response plans have been published for 18 species of high conservation concern and a draft conservation plan for cetaceans has also been published. There have been native species reintroductions of the golden eagle Aquila chrysaetos, red kite Milvus milvus and white-tailed eagle Haliaeetus albicilla. A ban on drift netting of salmon was introduced in 2007.

Protection of aquatic systems is being driven by implementation of the Water Framework Directive. Overgrazing issues are being addressed through the Single Farm Payment scheme and development of over 4000 Commonage Framework Plans. Some 62,000 farmers participate in the Rural Environment Protection Scheme, which is the main scheme supporting farmland biodiversity. 

Additional Actions

The Cessation of Turf Cutting Scheme provides compensation for purchase of bogs that have been statutorily proposed for designation as an SAC or Natural Heritage Area.  Other measures such as the Native Woodland Scheme, commercial Forestry Biodiversity Guidelines and broadleaf planting targets aim to promote biodiversity. There is an Invasive Species in Ireland project running since 2006. A National Biodiversity Data Centre was established in 2007.

A Biodiversity Forum of relevant stakeholders was established in 2006 under the auspices of Comhar – the National Sustainable Development Council – to contribute to the development of national strategies in support of biodiversity. A public awareness campaign – Notice Nature - was launched in 2007.

Biodiversity Research

The National Platform for Biodiversity Research has been re-established in 2009 to define national biodiversity research needs and improve the exchange of information between researchers and policy makers. The EPA has supported several large-scale research projects designed to inform biodiversity policy.