S.I. No. 41/2012 - European Communities (Conservation of Wild Birds (Middle Shannon Callows Special Protection Area 004096)) Regulations 2012.

1. Reclamation, including infilling.

2. Cutting, uprooting or otherwise removing plants. [Consent is not required for harvesting of cultivated crops, or for grazing or mowing.]

3. Introduction, or re-introduction, of plants or animals not found in the area. [Consent is not required for the planting of crops on established reseeded grassland or cultivated land.]

4. Construction or alteration of tracks, paths, roads, bridges, culverts or access routes.

5. Burning, topping, clearing scrub or rough vegetation or reseeding. [Consent is not required for these activities on established reseeded grassland or cultivated land provided it is greater than 20m from a river, stream or floodplain; or greater than 50m from a wetland, lake, turlough or pond.]

6. Significant changes in livestock density (including introduction of grazing), changes in livestock type or grazing season, other than on established reseeded grassland. [Consent is not required for changes of less than 20% in livestock density unless notice has been given that a lower percentage is applicable to a particular site.]

7. Mowing of grass crops. [Consent is not required unless notice has been given that mowing on specified lands is likely to interfere with the breeding and reproduction of corncrakes during the period specified in the said notice.]

8. Drainage works including digging, deepening, widening or blocking a drain, watercourse or waterbody.

9. Water abstraction, sinking of boreholes and wells.

10. Planting of trees or multi-annual bioenergy crops.

11. Any activity intended to disturb birds, including by mechanical, air, gas, wind powered or audible means.

12. Developing or consenting to the development or operation of commercial recreational /visitor facilities or activities.

GIVEN under my Official Seal,

9 February 2012.

JIMMY DEENIHAN TD,

Minister for Arts Heritage and the Gaeltacht.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation.)

Directive 2009/147/EC (O.J. L 20/7 of 26 January 2010) of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2009 (“the Birds Directive”) on the conservation of wild birds provides for the conservation of wild birds by, among other things, classifying important ornithological sites as Special Protection Areas. The hyperlink

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/natura2000/sites_ birds/index_ en.htm

which connects to the useful and informative European Commission Environment (Nature and Biodiversity) website also contains a further link to the text of the Birds Directive.

The effect of these Regulations is to designate a site as a Special Protection Area in accordance with Article 4 of the Directive. The geographical area of the Special Protection Area designated by these Regulations is defined by Schedule 1 (a map or maps of the area) and Schedule 2 (a list of the townlands in question / a description of the area). For more detailed maps than those contained in Schedule 1, or for greater detail on boundary delineation, contact should be made with the National Parks and Wildlife Service of the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht by telephoning 1-800-405000 or by viewing the relevant text or map details on

www.npws.ie

.

The bird species cited in Schedule 3 of these Regulations are specified, in accordance with the Directive, in order to ensure their survival and reproduction in their area of distribution. Under Article 5 of the Directive all species of birds are afforded protection from disturbance, capture and damage to nests and eggs, not just the birds listed on Schedule 3 (with the exception of those birds covered under Articles 7 for hunting and 9, where derogations are listed).

Those operations or activities requiring the consent of the Minister listed at Schedule 4 to these Regulations are cited for their potential to cause disturbance or damage to the bird species and their habitats specified in Schedule 3 of these Regulations. Landowners or occupiers should contact the local National Parks and Wildlife Service office of the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht before undertaking any of the works listed at Schedule 4. (See

www.npws.ie

for contact details). Please note that operations/activities other than those listed at Schedule 4 to these Regulations, such as effluent discharge, planning permission, aquaculture, fishing or forestry require a licence or permission from the appropriate consent authority.

These Regulations provide (Regulation 6) that contravention of the provisions of these Regulations shall constitute an offence. Regulation 6 also provides for penalties.

Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in

“Iris Oifigiúil” of

14

th February

, 2012.

I, JIMMY DEENIHAN, Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by

section 3

of the

European Communities Act 1972

(No. 27 of 1972) and for the purpose of giving further effect to Directive 2009/147/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2009 and Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 (as amended by Council Directive 97/62/EC of 27 October 1997, Regulation (EC) No. 1882/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 September 2003, Council Directive 2006/105/EC of 20 November 2006 and as amended by Act of Accession of Austria, Sweden and Finland (adapted by Council Decision 95/1/EC, Euratom, ECSC), Act concerning the conditions of accession of the Czech Republic, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Slovenia and the Slovak Republic and the adjustments to the Treaties on which the European Union is founded and as amended by the Corrigendum to that Directive (Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992)), hereby make the following Regulations