Ireland risks fines over nature sites

IRELAND runs the risk of incurring substantial fines if it fails to fully meet an 11-year-old deadline to protect nature sites, the European Commission has warned.

It said it had requested Ireland implement two judgments of the European Court of Justice concerning the protection of natural habitats.

The commission said Ireland has not fully met a 1995 deadline to complete a list of sites to protect its most endangered natural habitats and species — nor has Ireland taken sufficient measures to recover vegetation in uplands extensively damaged by overstocking of sheep from the 1980s onwards.

“A failure to satisfy the court judgements will expose Ireland to the risk of substantial fines,” the commission said.

EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas said the correct implementation of environmental legislation is crucial to meet the EU commitment to halting biodiversity loss in Europe by 2010.

Ireland East MEP Mairead McGuinness said Ireland’s failure to fully protect the habitats displays an appalling lack of concern for the natural environment, quite apart from exposing taxpayers to substantial fines.

“It is irresponsible in the extreme. We have a duty to ourselves and to our fellow citizens within the EU to halt biodiversity loss,” she said.

“This latest slap on the wrist from the commission comes hot on the heels of our delay in implementing the Nitrates Directive, signed in the early 1990s and yet only coming into effect in 2006.”