Government under pressure to protect nature sites

THE Government is changing nature sites that were designated as in need of protection in response to pressure from landowners and others.

The State is already facing the threat of multi-million euro fines for not completing the list of protected sites 11 years after the EU deadline and is now the only country in Europe in this position.

The European Commission has said it is seriously concerned about the roll-back of areas submitted to it by the Government in the past few years.