SITES have been designated as special protection areas for wild birds by the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht, Mr Higgins.
The Minister made the order under EU legislation which stipulates that states "must protect wild birds, especially rare or vulnerable species and regularly occurring migratory species".
Three of the sites are in Co Donegal, including Sheskinmore Lough, where there are important numbers of barnacle and Greenland white fronted geese. The uninhabited Donegal islands of Inishbofin, Inishdooey and Inishbeg are also covered by yesterday's order to protect threatened corncrakes.
Other sites include the Boyne Estuary for its wetlands and Lough Scannive, Co Galway, for its cormorant breeding site.
Inishglora and Inishkeeragh in Co Mayo have been included for their colony of storm petrels, the largest colony in Ireland.
The largest remaining unspoiled turlough in Ireland, Rahasane, in Co Galway, which supports colonies of whooper swans, wigeon, shoveler and golden plover, has also been included.
Other sites include Akeragh Lough/Barrow Harbour, Co Kerry Greers Island, Co Donegal part of the flood plain of the River Glyde in Co Louth and Termoncarragh Lake, Co Mayo.