The European Court of Justice has this week prosecuted Ireland for failures to protect the habitats of wild birds in Ireland, and for failure to apply suitable conservation measures in our most valuable conservation sites.  

EU heads of state agreed in 2001 ‘to protect and restore habitats and natural systems and halt the loss of biodiversity by 2010’. Ireland is no exemption from worldwide trends in biodiversity loss, with 60 habitats and 25 species recognized by the EU as in need of special protection in Ireland. However the courts stated this week that Ireland’s efforts under the two principal Nature Laws “do not constitute a coherent whole”.

The Court’s findings describe systemic failures to protect wild birds and threatened habitats throughout our pollution licensing procedures, planning consent system, forestry strategy, and aquaculture licensing systems.   

An Taisce is urging the Irish Government to take this prosecution as “the last straw”, and is calling for “a systematic reform of relevant licensing procedures throughout all relevant departments” in line with the findings of the courts.  Indeed Ireland is facing fines amounting to millions of Euro per year if we do not comply.   

Anja Murray of An Taisce stated that “Ireland needs to face up to our responsibilities to future generations.  We must not continue to allow wanton destruction of wildlife and natural habitats in Ireland.” 

She has pointed out that “Ireland has had since 1981 to implement many of these conservation measures.  The Government has received formal warnings about the legal and operational shortcomings since 1998.  It is well known that these warnings, if not heeded, lead to prosecution. It is the taxpayer who now has to pay for the delinquency of past governments” 

An Taisce, and other environmental NGO’s in Ireland, are on hand to assist the government in “tackling these final challenges to achieve a more balanced approach to development”. 

For more information contact Anja Murray of  An Taisce – The National Trust for Ireland on 01 7077063 / 086 6684617 or at anja.murray@antaisce.org

To view the judgement go to http://curia.europa.eu and search for case C 418-04