Conservation aims almost met

Ireland's commitments under the EU Habitats Directive are now almost complete, with 2½ million acres of the State designated Special Areas of Conservation (SAC).

Apart from a number of marine habitats off the coast, a spokesman for the Department of the Environment said yesterday, the current proposal of designating 58 additional areas completed the Government's commitments under the directive.

The designation of the 58 sites - which includes 14 extensions to existing sites and is the fifth and final tranche of designations - brings Ireland's total to 420. The spokesman said that when the marine habitats were added later this year, SACs would cover 15 per cent of Irish territory, with 11 per cent on privately owned land.

Listed SACs include the Burren and Killarney National Parks. The Shannon estuary is included in the current round of designations.

An Taisce's heritage officer, Mr Ian Lumley, said yesterday: "We are very pleased with the substantial progress made by the Department in designating sites". The Green MEP, Ms Patricia McKenna, said: "It is great and long overdue. I would hope that local authorities would now comply with the SAC designations and not allow any irresponsible development."

It also emerged yesterday that the IFA president, Mr John Dillon, is to resume talks with the Minister for the Environment, Mr Cullen, on the designation of SACs after negotiations were broken off by the farmers last year.