Price to be paid for lax attitude to nature sites

WE could yet pay a high price for failing to protect nature sites.

Ireland has not fully met a 1995 deadline to complete a list of nature sites with a view to protecting its most endangered natural habitats and species, as part of the EU-wide Natura 2000 network.

The EU Commission is asking the government to speed up protection of such sites and is seeking full compliance with two judgments of the European Court of Justice.