Far too few vulnerable Irish habitats are being designated by the Government as special areas of conservation (SACs), leading conservation and wildlife groups have claimed.
They are submitting a list of an additional 201 sites needing special protection to the European Commission under its controversial SAC designation scheme.
The group is particularly concerned about a failure to protect wild Atlantic salmon habitats and important otter sites, but also many bog and sand dune complexes. it is made up by The group comprises Coastwatch Europe; the Irish Peatland Conservation Council (IPCC), the Irish Wildlife Trust, An Taisce and Birdwatch Ireland.
"We find that not only is the coverage of many habitats inadequate to date, but specific critical species listed in the EU Directive (on SACs) have been entirely ignored," they said in a statement.
The non-governmental organisations have recommended to the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, Ms de Valera, the designation of 46 sites to protect the otter and 22 sites for the salmon. All are omitted from the Irish SAC list to date.
The recommendations follow moves by the Commission to bring the Government to court over its failure to designate SACs within legally ratified dates.
The World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) has also been alerted about the concerns.
Some of Europe's most prominent wildlife scientists and conservation experts are to visit Ireland next week. Under the Commission's Natura 2000 initiative, they are to assess the extent of SACs designated across Europe, and specifically in Ireland, at a meeting in Kilkee, Co Clare.
To coincide with this the five Irish NGOs have issued an interim draft of a joint study on SAC designation in Ireland funded by the Heritage Council. The study, which outlines details of the further 201 sites (mainly along the western seaboard), is due to be published in December. The group hopes it will result in "better balance and more complete adherence to the obligations of the European legislation".
Mr Tony Lowes of An Taisce said: "We have an obligation under the directive to list the sites of these priority species (salmon and otter) regardless of national legislation."
If a much greater number were not designated as SACs, it would lead to a grave shortfall in protection of both habitats and wildlife. "But there is still time to correct it," he said.
National designation - rather than European control facilitated by SACs - Mr Lowes added, would not offer the same degree of protection or recourse if things started to go wrong; for example in the event of damage to a salmon river as a consequence of intensive agriculture. A spokesman for the Minister said she would not comment in advance of the Natura 2000 meeting when officials of Duchas, the heritage arm of her Department, would outline their reasoning on SAC designation. Ms de Valera had always facilitated a full and open debate on the issue, he added. In reply to a Dail question, she indicated willingness to include additional sites after the final list was completed if shown to be necessary.
Appeal hearings on disputed SAC designations are being expedited. Delays in the process have prevented the Government completing its SAC list.
When appellants realised they could appeal SAC designations only on scientific grounds, the number of appeals, it is understood, was reduced from about 260 to some 90, of which an estimated 36 will require determination by the SAC advisory appeals board. This body has also been provided with additional resources to complete its work.
