10.—(1) Where the Minister intends to make an order under section 12 or 13, the Minister shall appoint a person, who shall be a barrister or a solicitor of not less than 7 years standing, to be an Arbitrator for the purposes of hearing and determining the matter.

(2) In hearing and determining a matter the Arbitrator shall perform the functions assigned to him or her by section 12 or, in the case of a matter to which section 13 relates, by section 12 as applied by section 13(2).

(3) The Arbitrator shall be paid such remuneration (if any) and allowances for expenses incurred by him or her as the Minister, with the consent of the Minister for Finance, may determine.

11.—(1) Where the Minister considers it desirable for the purposes of the Wildlife Acts, 1976 and 2000, to acquire or take on lease any land or interest in land, the Minister may, with the consent of the Minister for Finance, purchase or take on lease or otherwise acquire such land by agreement.

(2) The Minister may with the consent of the Minister for Finance—

(a) sell or let any land vested in the Minister in connection with functions under the Wildlife Acts, 1976 and 2000, or

(b) exchange any such land for any other land, or

(c) otherwise dispose of any such land,

and such consent may be given—

(i) generally, including to a particular class or classes of transaction, for all or a class or classes of land so vested or for transactions not exceeding a particular monetary amount, or

(ii) particularly to a particular transaction or group of related transactions.

(3) (a) Notwithstanding subsection (1) and without prejudice to the generality of subsection (2), the Minister may, with the consent of the Minister for Finance, construct, alter, demolish, purchase or take on lease any buildings or other structures or carry out any development required in connection with the exercise of the Minister's functions under the Wildlife Acts, 1976 and 2000, and such consent may be given—

(i) generally, including to a particular class or classes of transaction, for all or a class or classes of land so vested or for transactions not exceeding a particular monetary amount, or

(ii) particularly to a particular transaction or group of related transactions.

(b) For the purposes of paragraph (a), the reference to buildings or other structures and to development in that paragraph includes any land reasonably required for use with the building or structure concerned or for the development concerned.

12.—(1) Where the Minister requires, in connection with any land held by the Minister, for the purposes of the Wildlife Acts, 1976 and 2000, or partly for those purposes, a right of way by a particular route over any other land, the Minister may make an order (in this section referred to as “a right of way order”) creating such a right of way.

(2) Where the Minister proposes to make an order under subsection (1), the following provisions shall apply:

(a) the Minister shall as soon as may be give notice in writing of his or her intention to make the order to the Arbitrator who shall cause to be published a notice of the Minister's intention in such newspapers and in such manner as the Arbitrator shall determine;

(b) the Minister shall give notice in writing of his or her intention to make the order to—

(i) every occupier of the land concerned,

(ii) every owner of the land concerned, and

(iii) every other person having a legal or equitable interest in the land,

where it is proposed to create the right of way;

(c) the Minister shall not make the order unless a draft thereof has been submitted to and approved of under this subsection by the Arbitrator;

(d) the Arbitrator shall not determine an application under this subsection by the Minister before the expiration of the period of 30 days beginning on the day on which the relevant notice is published pursuant to this subsection or, in case such publication is made on different days, the day of the first such publication;

(e) any one or more of the following may, within the said period of 30 days or such longer period as the Arbitrator may determine, who objects to the making of the order serve on the Minister a notice of his or her intention to make an application to the Arbitrator in relation to the proposed order, namely:

(i) every occupier of the land concerned,

(ii) every owner of the land concerned,

(iii) every other person having a legal or equitable interest in the land,

where it is proposed to create the right of way;

(f) in case a notice is served on the Minister pursuant to this section the Arbitrator shall, before deciding whether or not to approve of the proposed order, give the person by whom the notice was served an opportunity of being heard, either in person or through counsel or a solicitor;

(g) the Arbitrator may, in determining the matter, approve of the draft of the order in the form proposed by the Minister, approve of such draft subject to such amendments as the Arbitrator shall specify or refuse to give his or her approval to the draft.

(3) If, in relation to the making of an order under this section, the Arbitrator is satisfied after diligent inquiry that a person to whom notice is required by subsection (2)(b) to be given by the Minister cannot be found or ascertained, the Arbitrator may determine the application, notwithstanding the fact that such person cannot be found or ascertained.

(4) Where, in relation to a proposed right of way, the Minister proposes that, in making the order under this section, the right of way, if created, is to be expressed as including and operating to confer on the Minister the power to permit either or both—

(a) the public generally, and

(b) any particular class of the public which may stand specified from time to time by the Minister,

to pass and repass at all times or at such times as the Minister may permit, and with or without vehicles or animals as the Minister may so specify, over the land over which the right of way will be exercisable, the following shall have effect:

(i) the Minister shall refer to the proposal in any notice given under this section, and

(ii) if the Arbitrator decides to allow the proposal in whole or in part, the order made shall be so expressed and shall operate accordingly.

(5) Any person who has an interest in or over land specified in a notice published pursuant to this section shall be entitled to be paid compensation by the Minister in respect of any diminution in the value of his or her interest in or over the land consequent upon the making of the order to which the notice relates and—

(a) the amount of any compensation to be paid under this subsection shall, in default of agreement, be determined under and in accordance with the Lands Clauses Acts and, for the purposes of those Acts, the Minister shall be deemed to be the promoter of the undertaking and this section and that order shall be deemed to be the special Act and, for the purposes of such determination, those Acts shall apply with any other necessary modifications and are incorporated (except in so far as they are inconsistent with and subject to any amendments or modification, express or implied, thereof effected by this Act) with this section,

(b) sections 69 to 83 of the Lands Clauses Consolidation Act 1845, shall apply to any compensation payable by virtue of this subsection, and for the purposes of such application the Minister shall be deemed to be the promoter of the undertaking, and

(c) where money is paid into court by the Minister under section 69, as applied by this subsection, of the Lands Clauses Consolidation Act 1845, no costs shall be payable by the Minister to any person in respect of any proceedings for the investment, payment of income or payment of capital of such money.

13.—(1) Where any land held by the Minister for the purposes of either or both the Principal Act and this Act or partly for any of those purposes is subject to any easements, the Minister may, whenever the Minister thinks proper, make an order (in this section referred to as an “extinguishment order”) extinguishing such easements or any one or more of them.

(2) The provisions of section 12 shall, with any necessary modifications, apply in relation to any extinguishment order proposed to be made by the Minister under subsection (1) in the same manner as if the Minister were creating a right of way over such land under that section.

(3) In this section, the word “easement” includes any profit á prendre or other right in or over land.

14.—Section 55 of the Principal Act is hereby amended—

(a) by the substitution of the following for paragraph (b) of subsection (2):

“(b) the purpose for which the Minister proposes to use the land is a purpose of the Wildlife Acts, 1976 and 2000, and”,

and

(b) by the substitution of the following for subsection (8):

“(8) (a) Compensation payable by the Minister pursuand to subsection (7) of this section shall, in default of agreement, be determined under and in accordance with the Lands Clauses Acts and, for the purposes of those Acts, the Minister shall be deemed to be the promoter of the undertaking and this section and the order under this section shall be deemed to be the special Act and, for the purposes of such determination, those Acts shall apply with any other necessary modifications and are incorporated (except in so far as they are inconsistent with and subject to any amendments or modification, express or implied, thereof effected by this Act) with this section.

(b) Sections 69 to 83 of the Lands Clauses Consolidation Act 1845, shall apply to any compensation payable by virtue of this subsection, and for the purposes of such application the Minister shall be deemed to be the promoter of the undertaking.

(c) Where money is paid into court by the Minister under section 69, as applied by this subsection, of the Lands Clauses Consolidation Act 1845, no costs shall be payable by the Minister to any person in respect of any proceedings for the investment, payment of income or payment of capital of such money.”.

15.—In this Chapter—

“user” has the meaning assigned by section 19(1)(a)(ii);

“works” includes any activity which destroys or which significantly alters, damages or interferes with the integrity of—

(a) a site, or

(b) any of its species, communities or habitats,

either intentionally or unintentionally, or any activity which has a significant impact on the site or on any of its species, communities or habitats, or on its landforms or geological or geomorphological features, or on its diversity of natural attributes, other than development by a local authority or development which is not exempted development for the purposes of the Planning and Development Act 2000.

16.—F1[(1) Where the Minister is of the opinion, having regard to subsection (6)(a), that any land forms, or is part of, a natural heritage area, or, is satisfied under section 18A(4)(a) that a natural heritage area order should be made, the Minister shall publish or cause to be published in Iris Oifigiúil, in a national newspaper, in at least one newspaper circulating in the locality in which the land is situate, and on the website of his or her Department, a notice in the prescribed form of the Minister’s intention to make an order designating the land as a natural heritage area.]

F2[(1A) The Minister shall cause a copy of the notice published under subsection (1) to be sent to the Committee appointed by either House of the Oireachtas or jointly by both Houses of the Oireachtas to examine matters and make recommendations in relation to natural heritage.]

(2) Before the publication of a notice in accordance with subsection (1), the Minister shall—

F3[(a) seek the observations of such other Minister of the Government as the Minister considers appropriate in the circumstances, the Commissioners and any planning authority in whose functional area the land is situate, and]

(b) serve on the owner or occupier of such land and any holder of a valid prospecting licence or exploration licence duly issued under any enactment which relates to such land notice of the proposed particulars to be contained in the order the Minister proposes to make.

(3) A notice served under subsection (2)(b) shall—

(a) be accompanied by a map of an appropriate scale in the circumstances issued by or under the superintendence of the Ordnance Survey Office, upon which is marked, so as to identify clearly, the land to which the notice relates and the boundaries thereof,

(b) outline the reason the site is of special scientific interest and indicate the works which the Minister considers would be liable to destroy or to significantly alter, damage or interfere with the integrity of the proposed natural heritage area,

(c) indicate the protective measures the Minister proposes to include in the proposed order for the protection of the natural heritage area, and

(d) indicate the procedures by which a person may object.

(4) The Minister may amend a notice served under subsection (2)(b) in respect of any of the matters mentioned in paragraphs (a) (b) and (c) of subsection (3), and where the Minister is of the opinion that any notice published under subsection (1), observation sought under subsection (2)(a) or notice served under subsection (2)(b) is materially affected by an amendment under this subsection, the Minister shall, in relation to the amendment, publish or cause to be published a notice under subsection (1) or bring it or cause it to be brought to the attention of any person so affected and to whom paragraph (a) or (b) of subsection (2) relates.

(5) Notwithstanding section 3(1)(d) of the Principal Act, where the address of any person to whom subsection (2)(b) relates cannot be found after reasonable inquiry, notices and maps showing the areas to be designated shall be displayed in a conspicuous place—

(a) at one or more Garda Síochána stations, local offices of the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs, local authority offices, local offices of the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development and offices of Teagasc, which are situated within or contiguous to the area to be designated, or

(b) where in any case there is no such station or office so located, at one or more of each such station or office within the vicinity or closest to such area,

and advertisements shall be broadcast on at least one radio station broadcasting in the locality of the area concerned and be placed in at least one newspaper circulating in the area, and every such notice and advertisement shall request any person affected by the proposed designation to contact the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands.

F4[(6)(a) The Minister, in publishing or causing to be published a notice under subsection (1), shall have regard to whether, on the basis of the scientific advice available to the Minister at a particular time, the area is worthy of conservation by virtue of

(i) its special scientific interest for one or more species, communities, habitats, landforms or geological or geomorphological features, or for its diversity of natural attributes, or

(ii) in light of the requirements of the Birds Directive and the Habitats Directive:

(I) the features of its landscape which are of major importance for wild flora and fauna including birds, which include those features which by reason of:

(A) their linear and continuous structure, such as rivers or canals with their banks or the traditional systems of marking field boundaries, or

(B) their function as stepping stones, such as ponds or small woods,

are essential for the migration, dispersal and genetic exchange of wild species, for the purposes of the Habitats Directive or the Birds Directive, or

(II) its importance for the maintenance of the population of the species referred to in Article 1 of the Birds Directive at a level that corresponds in particular to ecological, scientific and cultural requirements, while taking account of economic and recreational requirements, or for adapting the population of these species to that level, or

(iii) its importance for the preservation, maintenance or re-establishment of a sufficient diversity and area of habitats by the preservation, maintenance and re-establishment of biotopes and habitats for all of the species of birds referred to in Article 1 of the Birds Directive, in particular for—

(I) the creation of European Sites, or

(II) the upkeep and management in accordance with the ecological needs of habitats inside and outside European Sites, or

(III) the re-establishment of destroyed biotopes, and

(IV) the creation of biotopes.

(b) The scientific advice referred to in paragraph (a) shall take account of, as appropriate, the size of the site, its location, the type of natural feature or features contained in it, F2[its role in carbon sequestration or pollination,] its importance for the purposes of the Birds Directive and the Habitats Directive and the degree of negative, or potentially negative, human impact.]

(7) Not later than 3 months after publication in the Iris Oifigiúil of a notice pursuant to subsection (1), a person on whom a notice is served under subsection (2)(b) or pursuant to any amendment to such notice or any person claiming to have or to be entitled to an interest in or over the land or part thereof may object on scientific grounds to the making of the order in the manner specified in the notice.

17.—(1) Where the Minister decides, after publication in the Iris Oifigiúil of a notice pursuant to section 16, not to make a natural heritage area order relating to the lands concerned, every person on whom that notice was served under subsection (2)(b) of that section shall be informed accordingly by the Minister.

(2) The Minister shall, when informing a person under subsection (1), state the scientific grounds on which the decision was made.

18.—(1) The Minister shall, after considering any objections duly made in relation to the notice served under subsection (2)(b) of section 16 or pursuant to any amendment to such notice and if the Minister thinks fit, make in relation to the land specified in the notice published pursuant to that section or any part of such land, an order (in this Act referred to as a “natural heritage area order”) designating that land, or any part thereof, a natural heritage area and the order may include such provisions as the Minister thinks fit which relate to protective measures so specified.

(2) The Minister shall cause a copy of every natural heritage area order to be sent to every person to whom section 16(2) relates in respect of the land concerned.

(3) The Minister may, subject to subsection (4), by order amend any provision of a natural heritage area order, including the delineation of the boundaries, or revoke a natural heritage area order if the site concerned no longer retains its scientific value.

(4) Where the Minister proposes to amend or revoke F5[, under this section,] a natural heritage area order—

(a) the Minister shall publish, or cause to be published, in the Iris Oifigiúil and in at least one newspaper circulating in the locality in which the land to which the order applies is situate a notice of the Minister's intention to do so, and

(b) the provisions of subsections (2), (4) and (5) of section 16 shall apply to a proposed amendment or revocation under this section of a natural heritage area order as if references in those subsections to subsection (1) of section 16 were references to paragraph (a) and with any other necessary modifications.

18A.—(1) The Minister—

(a) shall continue to conduct and complete the review of raised bog habitats, known for the time being as the 2014 Review of Raised Bog Natural Heritage Area Network, and

(b) subject to subsection (5), may conduct one or more than one review of a natural heritage area (other than a natural heritage area falling to be reviewed under paragraph (a)).

(2) The purposes of a review under subsection (1) include:

(a) contributing to the achievement of nature conservation objectives of maintaining bog habitats at or restoring bog habitats to a favourable conservation status;

(b) contributing to the carbon sequestration potential of bog habitats;

(c) contributing to actions, relevant to bog habitats, contained in a national plan or a plan for the island of Ireland, concerning the reversal of pollinator decline;

(d) selecting the most suitable bog habitats—

(i) to be designated as natural heritage areas having regard to—

(I) all of the matters to which the Minister is required to have regard under section 16(6),

(II) national, regional and local economic, social and cultural needs,

(III) facilities and projects which can be of significant benefit to a community, and

(IV) projects which relate to strategic infrastructure development, within the meaning of the Planning and Development Act 2000,

or

(ii) to cease to be designated as natural heritage areas having regard to—

(I) environmental criteria,

(II) restoration potential,

(III) national, regional and local economic, social and cultural needs,

(IV) facilities and projects which can be of significant benefit to a community, and

(V) projects which relate to strategic infrastructure development, within the meaning of the Planning and Development Act 2000.

(3) The Minister shall, in relation to the effects on the environment of the proposals arising from a review under subsection (1)—

(a) carry out an assessment, including public consultation, under the European Communities (Environmental Assessment of Certain Plans and Programmes) Regulations 2004 (S.I. No. 435 of 2004), and

(b) if it is required, carry out any other—

(i) screening for an assessment, or

(ii) as the case may be, assessment, including public consultation.

(4) Having, on the completion of a review under subsection (1), considered the proposals arising from the review and had regard to the assessment and observations or submissions received during the public consultation under subsection (3)(a) and any screening for assessment or, as the case may be, assessment and observations or submissions received during a public consultation under subsection (3)(b), the Minister shall do one or more of the following:

(a) where he or she is satisfied that a natural heritage area order should be made, publish under section 16 a notice of his or her intention to make the natural heritage area order;

(b) notwithstanding section 18(3), where he or she is satisfied that land should cease to be designated as a natural heritage area, make an order to amend or revoke the natural heritage area order which so designated the land.

(5) (a) Subject to subsection (6), before the Minister makes an order under subsection (4)(b) relating to a natural heritage area containing a blanket bog habitat, he or she shall, for the purposes referred to in subsection (2), conduct a review of blanket bog habitats.

(b) The review conducted under paragraph (a) shall include designated blanket bog natural heritage areas and other blanket bog natural heritage areas as the Minister considers necessary.

(6) Subsection (5) shall not apply to a natural heritage area, whether or not a designated natural heritage area, falling to be reviewed under the review referred to in subsection (1)(a).

(7) Where the Minister makes an order under subsection (4)(b), he or she shall—

(a) inform the public of the making of the order by publishing or causing to be published a notice of the making of the order in Iris Oifigiúil, in a national newspaper, in at least one newspaper circulating in the locality in which the land to which the order applies is situate and on the website of his or her Department, and

(b) cause a copy of the order to be sent to—

(i) the owner or occupier of land which ceases to be designated as a natural heritage area by virtue of the order,

(ii) the holder of a valid prospecting or exploration licence duly issued under any enactment which relates to such land,

(iii) the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine,

(iv) F7[…]

(v) any other Minister of the Government that the Minister considers appropriate,

(vi) the Committee appointed by either House of the Oireachtas or jointly by both Houses of the Oireachtas to examine matters and make recommendations in relation to natural heritage,

(vii) the Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland,(viii) any planning authority in whose functional area the land is situate,(ix) an Bord Pleanála, and

(x) the Environmental Protection Agency.

(8) Section 19(2) shall not apply to any land or part of land, in respect of which a notice has been served under section 16(2)(b), which land or part of land ceases to be designated as a natural heritage area by virtue of the amendment or revocation of the natural heritage area order under subsection (4)(b).

(9) In this section—

"bog habitat" means a habitat within the meaning of section 2 of the Principal Act that contains bog and, other than for the purposes of—

(a) publishing a notice under subsection (4)(a), and

(b) making an order under subsection (4)(b),

includes a candidate special area of conservation or a special area of conservation, within the meaning of Regulation 2 of the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011 (S.I. No. 477 of 2011), that contains bog;

"environmental criteria"—

(a) in so far as it relates to a raised bog, means the conservation value of the raised bog taking into account a comparison made between the area, range, habitat, structure, function and ecological features of that raised bog and those of one or more than one other raised bog that is not or are not situated in a candidate special area of conservation or a special area of conservation, and

(b) in so far as it relates to a blanket bog, means the conservation value of the blanket bog taking into account a comparison made between the area, range, habitat, structure, function and ecological features of that blanket bog and those of one or more than one other blanket bog that is not or are not situated in a candidate special area of conservation or a special area of conservation;

"favourable conservation status" means the conservation status of a bog habitat when—

(a) its natural range and the areas it covers within that range are stable or increasing,

(b) the specific structure and functions which are necessary for its long-term maintenance exist and are likely to continue to exist for the foreseeable future, and

(c) the conservation status of its typical species is favourable;

"restoration potential" means both the potential for a bog to be restored to a favourable conservation condition, and the likelihood that measures taken to that end will be effective.]

19.—(1) Where there is a subsisting natural heritage area order in respect of any land, no person shall carry out, or cause or permit to be carried out, on that land any works specified in the order or any works which are liable to destroy or to significantly alter, damage or interfere with the features by reason of which the designation order was made unless—

(a) (i) the owner or occupier of that land has given to the Minister notice in writing of his or her intention to carry out the works specifying the nature of the works and the land, or part thereof, on which it is proposed to carry them out, or

(ii) where the consent of the owner or occupier of that land is not required, the person who is to carry out or cause to be carried out the works (in this Chapter referred to as “the user”) has applied in writing to the Minister for permission to carry out the works,

and

(b) (i) the works are carried out with the consent in writing of the Minister, or

(ii) the works are carried out in accordance with the terms of an agreement under section 11 or 18 of the Principal Act, or

(iii) 6 months have expired from the date of the notice under paragraph (a) and the Minister has not refused consent in writing to the works being carried out.

(2) Notwithstanding subsection (1), where a notice has been served under section 16(2)(b) in respect of any land, no person shall carry out, or cause or permit to be carried out, on that land any works specified in that notice, being works which are liable to destroy or to significantly alter, damage, or interfere with the features by reason of which the notice was served, without giving the Minister not less than 3 months' prior notice in writing of his or her intention to carry out such works.

(3) Where the Minister is satisfied that the carrying out of the works are necessary for imperative reasons of overriding public interest, which interest may be of a social or economic nature, and, in the absence of an alternative and viable solution, the Minister may decide to give the owner, occupier or user consent to undertake the works.

(4) Where the Minister decides to give consent to the carrying out of works to which subsection (1) relates, the Minister may—

(a) attach such conditions to the consent as the Minister deems appropriate, or

(b) at any time vary such conditions as the Minister deems appropriate, or

(c) revoke such consent to works if in the opinion of the Minister the conditions attached to such consent have been breached, or the continuation of such consent would be liable to destroy, or significantly alter, damage or interfere with the features by reason of which the designation order was made,

and the Minister shall communicate in writing his or her decision to the person concerned (being the owner, occupier or user of the land concerned).

(5) Where the Minister decides to give consent to the carrying out of works to which subsection (3) relates, the Minister may—

(a) attach such conditions to the consent as the Minister deems appropriate, or

(b) at any time vary such conditions as the Minister deems appropriate, or

(c) revoke such consent to works if in the opinion of the Minister the conditions attached to such consent have been breached,

and the Minister shall communicate in writing his or her decision to the person concerned (being the owner, occupier or user of the land concerned).

(6) Where the Minister decides to refuse to give consent to the carrying out of works in respect of which subsection (1) relates, the Minister shall give his or her reasons in writing to the person concerned (being the owner, occupier or user of the land concerned).

(7) (a) Where the Minister decides—

(i) to refuse to give consent to the carrying out of works in respect of which subsection (1) relates, or

(ii) to give such consent subject to conditions, or

(iii) to vary such conditions, or

(iv) to revoke such consent to the carrying out of works,

then, the person concerned (being the owner, occupier or user of the land concerned) may, not later than 30 days after the day on which the decision is given by the Minister, serve notice of appeal on the Minister against that decision.

(b) Where in circumstances to which paragraph (a) relates, the Minister shall appoint a person, who shall be a barrister or a solicitor of not less than 7 years standing, to be an arbitrator for the purposes of hearing and determining the appeal and, where the arbitrator makes a determination in relation to an appeal under subsection (7) (a), the Minister shall act in accordance with such determination.

(c) An arbitrator appointed under paragraph (b) shall be paid such remuneration (if any) and allowances for expenses incurred by him or her as the Minister, with the consent of the Minister for Finance, may determine.

(8) Where the Minister has entered into negotiations with an owner or occupier to—

(a) acquire land or possession thereof to which a natural heritage area order relates, or

(b) enter an agreement under section 18 of the Principal Act in respect of the land,

and such negotiations have not concluded by the expiration of the period mentioned in subsection (1) (b) (iii), the Minister may extend that period by a further period and when so extended the Minister shall inform the owner or occupier as the case may be.

(9) A person who contravenes subsection (1) or (2) shall be guilty of an offence.

19A.—(1) Where notice is given to the Minister under section 19(1)(a)(i) or an application is made to the Minister under section 19(1)(a)(ii) for permission to carry out works and the following circumstances apply:

(a) the Minister has not refused consent, and

(b) the works would be of a class of development for the time being specified under paragraph 2(a) of Part II of the First Schedule to the European Communities (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 1989 (S.I. No. 349 of 1989) (as substituted by the European Communities (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Amendment) Regulations 1999 (S.I. No. 93 of 1999)), or under any provision amending or replacing that provision, but for not exceeding the area for the time being specified in relation to that class, and

(c) the Minister considers, having regard to the criteria specified for the purposes of article 27 of the European Communities (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 1989 (as inserted by the European Communities (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Amendment) Regulations 1999), or under any provision amending or replacing the said article 27, that the said works would be likely to have significant effects on the environment,

the Minister shall inform the owner, occupier or user, as the case may be, in writing that they are required to submit an environmental impact statement in respect of such works.

(2)  An environmental impact statement shall contain the information for the time being specified under article 25 of the European Communities (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 1989 (as substituted by the European Communities (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Amendment) Regulations 1998 (S.I. No. 351 of 1998)), or under any provision amending or replacing the said article 25.

(3) (a)  If a person, before submitting an environmental impact statement in accordance with a requirement of this section, so requests, the Minister shall, after consulting the person who made the request, the planning authority in whose functional area the land is situated, and such Minister of the Government or other body or bodies as the Minister considers appropriate in the circumstances, give a written opinion on the information to be contained in such statement.

(b)  A request under paragraph (a) for a written opinion on the information to be contained in an environmental impact statement shall state—

(i) the name and address, and telephone number and e-mail address, if any, of the person making the request and of the person, if any, acting on behalf of the person making the request,

(ii) the location, townland or postal address of the land to which the request relates,and

(iii) a brief description of the nature of the proposed works and of their possible effects on the environment.

(c) Where the Minister considers that he or she has insufficient information to enable him or her to give a written opinion pursuant to a request, he or she shall, by notice in writing, require the person making the request to provide, within a specified period, such further information as he or she considers necessary.

(d) The Minister shall, in dealing with a request for a written opinion, have regard to—

(i) the information required to be contained in an environmental impact statement in accordance with subsection (2),

(ii) any information provided under paragraph (b) or any further information provided under paragraph (c), and

(iii) any consultations under paragraph (a).

(e) A written opinion shall indicate the extent to which the information specified in paragraph 2 of the Second Schedule to the European Communities (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 1989 (as substituted by the European Communities (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Amendment) Regulations 1999), or in any provision amending or replacing the said paragraph, should be contained in the environmental impact statement.

(f) The giving of a written opinion in accordance with paragraph (a) shall not prejudice the exercise by the Minister of his or her powers under this Act to require the person who made the request to furnish further information in relation to the effects on the environment of the proposed works.

(4) (a) At the request of a person intending to carry out works, the Minister may, where he or she is satisfied that exceptional circumstances so warrant and after consultation with the Minister for the Environment and Local Government, grant in respect of proposed works an exemption from a requirement under this section to prepare an environmental impact statement, except that no exemption may be granted in respect of proposed works if another Member State of the European Communities, having been informed about the proposed works and their likely effects on the environment in that State, has indicated that it intends to furnish views on those effects.

(b) The Minister shall, in granting an exemption under paragraph (a), consider whether—

(i)   the effects, if any, of the proposed works on the environment should be assessed in some other manner, and

(ii)  the information arising from the assessment should be made available to the public,

and the Minister may apply such requirements regarding these matters as he or she considers necessary or appropriate.

(c) Notice of any exemption granted under paragraph (a), of the reasons for granting the exemption and of any requirements applied under paragraph (b) shall, as soon as may be,—

(i) be published in Iris Oifigiúil and in at least one newspaper circulating in the district in which is situated the land to which the proposed works relate, and

(ii) be given, together with a copy of the information, if any, made available to the public in accordance with paragraph (b), to the Commission of the European Communities.]

19B.—(1) Where a person is required to submit an environmental impact statement in accordance with a requirement of section 19A, the person shall, not more than 2 weeks before submitting the environmental impact statement, publish notice of his or her intention to submit the environmental impact statement in at least one newspaper circulating in the district in which is situated the land to which the proposed works relate.

(2) A notice under subsection (1) shall state—

(a) the name of the person required to submit the environmental impact statement,

(b) the location, townland or postal address of the land to which the proposed works relate,

(c) the nature and extent of the proposed works,

(d) that, following a requirement of the Minister, an environmental impact statement will be submitted to the Minister in respect of the proposed works,

(e) that the environmental impact statement will be available for inspection free of charge or purchase, at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, during office hours at the offices of the Minister or such other convenient place as the Minister may specify, and

(f) that submissions or observations in relation to the environmental impact statement may be made in writing to the Minister within 5 weeks of the date of receipt by the Minister of the environmental impact statement.

(3) An environmental impact statement submitted pursuant to a requirement of section 19A shall be accompanied by a copy of the relevant page of the newspaper in which a notice under subsection (1) was published.

(4) Where it appears to the Minister that a notice published under subsection (1)—

(a)  does not comply with any of the requirements of subsections (1) or (2), or

(b)  because of its content or for any other reason, is misleading or inadequate for the information of the public,

the Minister shall require the person concerned to give such further notice in such manner and in such terms as the Minister may specify and to submit such evidence as he or she may specify in relation to compliance with such requirement.

(5) An environmental impact statement submitted pursuant to a requirement of section 19A shall be made available for inspection free of charge or purchase, at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, during office hours at the offices of the Minister or such other convenient place as the Minister may specify.

(6) Where the Minister receives an environmental impact statement in accordance with a requirement of section 19A he or she shall, as soon as may be following receipt of the environmental impact statement, send a copy of the environmental impact statement to the planning authority in whose functional area the land is situated, and such Minister of the Government or other body or bodies as the Minister considers appropriate in the circumstances, and shall indicate that a submission or observation in relation to the effects on the environment of the proposed works may be made in writing to the Minister within 5 weeks of the date of receipt by the Minister of the environmental impact statement.

(7) The Minister shall consider whether an environmental impact statement submitted in accordance with a requirement of section 19A complies with subsection (2) of that section or, where the Minister has given a written opinion under subsection (3) of that section, he or she shall consider whether the environmental impact statement complies with the said opinion.

(8) Where the Minister decides that an environmental impact statement does not comply with subsection (2) of section 19A or any relevant written opinion given by the Minister under subsection (3) of that section, as appropriate, he or she shall require the person who submitted the environmental impact statement to submit such further information as may be necessary to comply with the relevant subsection.

(9) The Minister shall, where he or she considers that further information furnished in accordance with a requirement under subsection (8) contains significant additional data in relation to the effects on the environment of the proposed works, as soon as may be following receipt of the further information,—

(a) send notice and a copy of the further information to any person or body consulted under subsection (6) indicating that a submission or observation in relation to the further information may be made in writing to the Minister within a specified period, and

(b) notify any person who made a submission or observation in relation to the proposed works—

(i) that significant further information in relation to the proposed works has been furnished to the Minister, and is available for inspection free of charge or purchase at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, during office hours at the offices of the Minister or such other convenient place as the Minister may specify, and

(ii) that a submission or observation in relation to the further information received may be made in writing to the Minister within a specified period,

and

(c) require the person intending to carry out the proposed works to publish a notice in at least one newspaper circulating in the district in which is situated the land to which the proposed works relate, stating—

(i) the name of the person intending to carry out the proposed works,

(ii) the location, townland or postal address of the land to which the proposed works relate,

(iii) that significant further information in relation to the proposed works has been furnished to the Minister, and is available for inspection free of charge or purchase at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, during office hours at the offices of the Minister or such other convenient place as the Minister may specify, and

(iv) that a submission or observation in relation to the further information may be made in writing to the Minister within a period specified by the Minister.

(10) Where it appears to the Minister that a notice published in accordance with subsection (9)(c) does not adequately inform the public, the Minister shall require the person who published the notice to give such further notice in such a manner and in such terms as the Minister may specify and to submit such evidence as he or she may specify in relation to compliance with such requirement.]

19C.—Where an environmental impact statement has been submitted in accordance with a requirement of section 19A, the Minister shall, when making his or her decision under section 19, have regard to the said statement, to any further information furnished in accordance with subsection (8) of section 19B, to any submissions or observations, made in accordance with section 19B, in relation to the effects on the environment of the proposed works, and to the views, if any, furnished by other Member States of the European Communities pursuant to section 19D.]

19D.—(1) Where the Minister considers that proposed works, which are the subject of an environmental impact statement in accordance with a requirement of section 19A, would be likely to have significant effects on the environment in another Member State of the European Communities, or where another Member State of the European Communities considers that the said works would be likely to have such effects and so requests, he or she shall, as soon as possible, send to that other Member State:—

(a) a description of the proposed works and any available information on their possible effects on the environment in that Member State, and

(b) relevant information about the procedure for making a decision in respect of the proposed works,

and shall give to that Member State a reasonable time to indicate whether it wishes to furnish views on the said effects.

(2) Where a Member State of the European Communities which has received information pursuant to subsection (1) indicates that it wishes to furnish views on the likely effects on the environment of the proposed works, the Minister shall send to that Member State—

(a)  if he or she has not already done so, a copy of the environmental impact statement, and

(b)  any further relevant information about the procedure for making a decision in respect of the proposed works.

(3) The Minister shall enter into consultations with a Member State of the European Communities, which has, in accordance with subsection (2), indicated that it wishes to furnish views on the likely effects on the environment of the proposed works, regarding the potential effects of the proposed works on the environment in that Member State and the measures envisaged to reduce or eliminate such effects.

(4) The Minister shall notify a Member State of the European Communities with whom consultations took place under subsection (3) of his or her decision in respect of the proposed works.]

19E.—The Minister shall, as soon as may be following the making of a decision in relation to proposed works in respect of which an environmental impact statement was submitted in accordance with a requirement of section 19A,—

(a) publish notice of the decision in at least one newspaper circulating in the district in which is situated the land to which the proposed works relate, and

(b) make arrangements to make the said statement and information on the decision available for inspection by members of the public during a period to be specified by him or her.]

20.—(1) Where the Minister considers that works to which section 16(3)(b) relates are being carried out or are proposed to be carried out on land which, in the opinion of the Minister, comprises or forms part of a natural heritage area and is the subject of a notice served under section 16(2)(b), the Minister may make an application to a court of competent jurisdiction to prohibit the continuance of the works pending a completion of the procedures provided for by section 16.

(2) Where the Minister considers that works are being carried out or are proposed to be carried out on land comprising or forming part of a natural heritage area in contravention of any provision in a natural heritage area order, the Minister may make an application to a court of competent jurisdiction to prohibit the continuance of the works.

(3) Where works are being carried out that are not within an area to which subsection (1) or (2) relates but are liable to have an adverse effect on the integrity of such area, the Minister may make an application to a court of competent jurisdiction for an order to prohibit—

(a) in a case to which subsection (1) relates, the continuance of the works pending the completion of the procedures provided for by section 16,

(b) in a case to which subsection (2) relates, the continuance of the works.

(4) An application to a court of competent jurisdiction for an order under this section shall be in a summary manner and the court, when considering the matter, may make such interim or interlocutory order (if any) as it considers appropriate.

(5) In this section, “court of competent jurisdiction” means either a Judge of the Circuit Court within whose circuit the lands or any part of the lands are situated or the High Court.

21.—(1) Where works have been carried out on land, designated as a natural heritage area under section 18, or where works have been carried out on land which at the time of the carrying out of such works was the subject of a notice served under section 16(2) (b) and which was subsequently designated as a natural heritage area, the Minister may, by direction issued in writing, require the owner, occupier, or user of the land which is so designated, or the person who carried out or caused to be carried out the works, to restore the land in accordance with the direction.

(2) Every direction shall specify the period within which the land concerned is to be restored.

(3) If, within the period specified in a direction under this section or within such extended period as the Minister may allow, any steps required by the direction to be taken have not been taken, the Minister may take such action as the Minister considers necessary, including authorising a person to enter on the land and take those steps, and may recover as a simple contract debt in any court of competent jurisdiction from the person to whom the direction was made any expenses reasonably incurred by the Minister in that behalf.

(4) (a) Any person who fails to comply with a direction under subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence.

(b) Any person who by act or omission impedes or obstructs an authorised person entering on land for the purposes of carrying out any required works under this section shall be guilty of an offence.

22.—(1) Where the Minister refuses consent to works under section 19, the Minister shall, save for the reasons set out in subsections (5) and (6), pay to the owner or occupier or user as the case may be by way of compensation an amount equal to the loss suffered by the owner, occupier or user by the depreciation of an interest in the land to which he or she is entitled.

(2) (a) The amount of compensation payable by the Minister under subsection (1) shall be determined by reference to the difference between the antecedent and subsequent value of the land or of an interest in the land consequent on the refusal of consent, which amount shall be offset by the value of any amounts which the owner, occupier or user is receiving under the scheme operated by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development and known as the Rural Environment Protection Scheme, or any amendment to, or replacement of that scheme.

(b) For the purposes of paragraph (a), any amounts which the proposed works would have attracted by way of grant aid from any Minister of the Government or any body established or regulated by or under a statute, if consent had been given under section 19, shall not be taken into account in assessing the difference between the antecedent and subsequent value of the land.

(3) (a) Any claims for payment of compensation under this section shall, in default of agreement, be determined under and in accordance with the Lands Clauses Acts and, for the purposes of those Acts, the Minister shall be deemed to be the promoter of the undertaking and this section shall be deemed to be the special Act and, for the purposes of such determination, those Acts shall apply with any other necessary modifications and are incorporated (except in so far as they are inconsistent with and subject to any amendments or modification, express or implied, thereof effected by this Act) with this section.

(b) Sections 69 to 83 of the Lands Clauses Consolidation Act 1845, shall apply to any compensation payable by virtue of this subsection, and for the purposes of such application the Minister shall be deemed to be the promoter of the undertaking.

(c) Where money is paid into court by the Minister under section 69, as applied by this subsection, of the Lands Clauses Consolidation Act 1845, no costs shall be payable by the Minister to any person in respect of any proceedings for the investment, payment of income or payment of capital of such money.

(4) A claim for compensation under this section shall be made not later than 6 months from the date of issue of the decision by the Minister under section 19.

(5) Compensation under this section shall not be payable for any loss arising from a refusal of consent for works for as long as—

(a) the Minister is in negotiation with the owner or occupier, as the case may be, for the purchase by agreement of the land, or

(b) the Minister is in negotiation with the owner or occupier, as the case may be, to enter into a management agreement under section 18 of the Principal Act.

(6) (a) Save where the refusal of consent results in the discontinuance of the use to which the land has been put by the person concerned in the period of 5 years immediately preceding—

(i) such refusal, or

(ii) the curtailment of such use of land,

compensation will not be payable where the proposed works would significantly adversely affect a site, its species, communities or habitats, or have a significant impact on the site or on its species, communities or habitats, or landforms or geological or geomorphological features, or on its diversity of natural attributes.

(b) Where the Minister has refused consent to works under section 19, the Minister may, where he or she considers appropriate, make a determination that it would not be just and reasonable in the particular circumstances that payment of compensation should be prevented by the provisions of paragraph (a).

(7) Any compensation payable under this section may be made by the Minister either by way of a single payment or by way of payment of an annual sum to a person having, or claiming to be entitled to, an interest in or over the land on which the compensation is payable.

23.—A natural heritage area order and any amendment or revocation thereof may be registered under the Registration of Title Act 1964 (as amended by section 73), in the appropriate register maintained under that Act, as a burden on the land.

24.—(1) Subsections (2) and (3) of section 12 of the Principal Act shall apply to land to which a natural heritage area order or a notice served under section 16(2)(b) relates in the same manner as it applies to land to which an establishment order, a recognition order or a designation order relates, or to which an agreement under section 18 of the Principal Act relates.

(2) Subsection (3)(b) of section 12 of the Principal Act is hereby repealed.

25.—(1) The Minister may cause to be erected at a suitable place within, or on the boundary of, or near any land in respect of which—

(a) an establishment order, a recognition order or a designation order to which section 15, 16 or 17, respectively, of the Principal Act applies, or

(b) an agreement under section 18 of the Principal Act applies, or

(c) a natural heritage area order applies, or

(d) there is no subsisting order in operation under section 24 or 25 of the Principal Act or there is such an order in operation but it is of restricted application in respect of that land (which land is, in either case, referred to in this section as a “fauna sanctuary order”),

a notice of the existence of the establishment order, recognition order, designation order, agreement, natural heritage area order or fauna sanctuary order, as the case may be, and for that purpose any person, duly authorised by the Minister in that behalf, may enter on such land and any other land.

(2) Any person who impedes an authorised person in carrying out his or her duties under this section or who wilfully or negligently destroys, alters, defaces, disfigures, marks or otherwise interferes with any notice referred to in subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence.

26.—Section 15 of the Principal Act is hereby amended—

(a) by the substitution of the following for paragraph (a) of subsection (2):

“(a) land to which this section applies—

(i) includes the habitat or forms, or is capable of being made to form, the habitat or part of the habitat of one or more species or community, being a species or community which is of scientific interest, or

(ii) includes or forms an ecosystem, or part of an ecosystem, which is of scientific interest, or

(iii) contains features of geological, geomorphological or other natural interest,

and that in the case of such habitat or ecosystem, or such part of the ecosystem, or geological, geomorphological or other natural interest is likely to benefit if measures are taken for its protection,”,

and

(b) by the substitution, in subsection (5), of “, characteristics or boundaries” for “or characteristics”,

and the said subsection (5), as so amended, is set out in the Table to this section.

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(5) The Minister shall not amend an establishment order unless he considers that the objectives, as regards which the relevant nature reserve was established, require revision because of changes in the features, characteristics or boundaries of the reserve or in any other circumstance which affects the reserve.

27.—Section 16 of the Principal Act is hereby amended—

(a) by the insertion, in paragraph (a) of subsection (1), of “or forms, or is capable of being made to form, a habitat” after “includes a habitat” and of “as amended by this Act,” after “section 15 (2) of this Act” and by the insertion of “or contains features of geological, geomorphological or other natural interest” after “ecosystem”,

and

(b) by the insertion of the following after subsection (3):

“(3A) The Minister shall not amend a recognition order unless the Minister considers that the objectives, as regards which the relevant nature reserve was recognised, require revision because of changes in the features, characteristics or boundaries of the reserve, or because of any other circumstance which in the Minister's opinion affects the reserve.”,

and the said paragraph (a), as so amended, is set out in the Table to this section.

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(a) the land includes a habitat or forms, or is capable of being made to form, a habitat or part of a habitat or an ecosystem or contains features of geological, geomorphological or other natural interest described in paragraph (a) of section 15(2) of the Principal Act, as amended by this Act.

28.—Section 17 of the Principal Act is hereby amended—

(a) by the substitution, in subsection (1), of “either or both fauna and flora” for “fauna” where it first occurs and of “fauna and flora” for “fauna” where it last occurs,

(b) by the substitution, in subsection (4), of “every species of fauna and flora” for “any species of fauna” and of “fauna and flora” for “fauna”,

(c) by the insertion, in paragraph (a) of subsection (9), of “or flora” after “fauna”, and

(d) by the insertion, in subsection (12), of “or flora” after “fauna”,

and the said subsections (1) and (4), the said paragraph (a) and the said subsection (12), as so amended, are set out in the Table to this section.

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(1) Where the Minister considers that a particular species, or particular species, of either or both fauna and flora should be specially protected on any land which is, or is contiguous to, a habitat of the species, then, subject to subsection (5) of this section, he may publish in the Iris Oifigiúil and in at least one newspaper circulating in the locality in which the land is situate a notice of his intention to make an order (in this Act referred to as a designation order) designating the land as a refuge for such fauna and flora.

(4) A notice published pursuant to this section shall indicate every species of fauna and flora which the Minister proposes by the provisions of the proposed order to which the notice relates to protect, the land to which the proposed designation order or amending order, as the case may be, will apply and the protective measures which the proposes to include in the proposed order, including any measures he proposes to take for the protection of the habitat requirements of such fauna and flora.

(a) a designation order designating that land, or any part thereof, as, and establishing thereon, a refuge for all or any of the fauna or flora indicated in the notice, or

(12) Any compensation under this section shall be assessed and payable only in respect of diminution in value, loss or disadvantage arising from the measures contained in the relevant order for the protection of the habitat requirements of the fauna or flora to which the order relates.

29.—Section 21 of the Principal Act is hereby amended—

(a) in subsection (3), by the substitution of the following for paragraphs (a) and (b):

“(a) cut, pick, collect, uproot or otherwise take, injure, damage, or destroy any specimen to which this section applies or the flowers, roots, seeds, spores or other part of such specimen,

(b) purchase, sell, keep for sale, transport for sale or exchange, offer for sale or exchange or be in possession of any such specimen whether alive or dead or the flowers, roots, seeds, spores or any part, product or derivative thereof,”,

(b) in subsection (5), by the substitution of the following for paragraph (a):

“(a) to cut, pick, collect, uproot or otherwise take flora of a species specified in the licence and which is of a species to which an order under this section for the time being applies or the flowers, roots, seeds, spores or other part of a specimen of the species so specified,”,

(c) in subsection (6), by the substitution of the following for paragraphs (a) and (b):

“(a) sold a plant whether alive or dead or the flowers, roots, seeds, spores or any part, product or derivative of a plant, which is of the same species as the plant, flowers, roots, seeds, spores or any part, product or derivative of a plant, as the case may be, to which the alleged offence relates, and

(b) claimed, either expressly or by implication and whether by advertising or otherwise, that the plant, flowers, roots, seeds, spores or any other part, product or derivative sold came from or was wholly or partly grown in a particular place, and the place is in an area to which an order under this section applied at the time when the alleged offence was committed,”,

(d) in subsection (7), by the insertion of “, seeds or spores” after “roots”, and

(e) by the insertion of the following after subsection (8):

“(8A) In order to control the trade and collection of wild flora the Minister may make regulations providing that a person shall not, save under and in accordance with a licence granted in that behalf by the Minister and on payment to the Minister of the prescribed fee (if any), cut, pick, collect, uproot or otherwise take, injure, damage, or destroy any specimen of a species of flora which is of a species specified in the regulations or the flowers, roots, seeds, spores or other part of such specimen or cause to be cut, picked, collected, uprooted or otherwise taken, injured, damaged or destroyed any such specimen.

(8B) Where the Minister is satisfied that it is in the interests of the conservation of any species of wild flora so to do, the Minister may be regulations prohibit, or control in such manner as the Minister considers appropriate and specify in the regulations, the trade, collection, purchase or sale of that species or any part, product or derivative thereof for such period as may be so specified.”,

and the said subsection (7), as so amended, is set out in the Table to this section.

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(7) In any proceedings for an offence under this section, it shall be a defence for the defendant to show that the plant, flowers, roots, seeds or spores or other thing to which the alleged offence relates was lawfully imported.

30.—Section 22 of the Principal Act is hereby amended—

(a) in subsection (5)—

(i) by the substitution, in paragraph (b), of “aquaculture, fishing, forestry or turbary” for “fishing or forestry”,

(ii) by the insertion, in paragraph (d), of “, or the orphaned and dependant young of such a bird,” after “protected wild bird” and by the deletion of the words “or with the intention of tending it and of later releasing it” after “humanely”,

(iii) by the insertion, in paragraph (e), of “and where the bird is so injured or disabled that there is no reasonable chance of its recovering,” after “paragraph (h) of this subsection”,

(iv) by the deletion of paragraph (f) (inserted by the Regulations of 1985),

(v) by the insertion, in paragraph (g), of “unless the nest contains the eggs or young of a protected wild bird” after “building”, and

(vi) by the substitution of “a licence or other permission granted or issued pursuant to the Wildlife Acts, 1976 and 2000, or which is duly done pursuant to any other statute” for “a statute (other than this Act)”,

(b) in subsection (9)—

(i) by the insertion, in paragraph (d), of “examine, inspect or” before “take”, and

(ii) by the insertion of the following after paragraph (d):

“(e) to take the eggs of a protected wild bird of a species specified in the licence for the purposes of having them hatched out for repopulation, or re-introduction to the wild or, for such purposes, to move such eggs from the nest of a bird so specified to that of another bird of the same species or for such other purposes as the Minister considers appropriate in the circumstances in respect of the species so specified,

(f) to take or make photographic, video or other pictures of a protected wild bird of a species specified in the licence on or near a nest containing eggs or unflown young,

(g) to have in possession, for a reasonable period of time—

(i) an injured or disabled wild bird, or

(ii) one or more than one dependant young of a wild bird which is orphaned,

with the intention of tending and later releasing such bird or young back into the wild when and only when such bird or young, as the case may be, is no longer injured, disabled or dependant,

(h) to retain possession of a wild bird, that for reasons of disability or for other reasons deemed reasonable by the Minister, would, if released, be unlikely to survive unaided in the wild.”,

and the said subsections (5) (other than paragraphs (a), (c) and (h) and (9) (other than paragraphs (a) to (c) and inserted paragraphs (e) to (h)), as so amended, are set out in the Table to this section.

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(5) It shall not be an offence for a person—

(b) while so engaged or engaged in agriculture, aquaculture, fishing, forestry or turbary unintentionally to injure or kill a protected wild bird, or

(d) to capture an injured or disabled protected wild bird or the orphaned and dependant young of such a bird for the purpose of killing it humanely, or

(e) to kill humanely a protected wild bird which has been injured in the manner described in paragraph (b), or captured in the manner described in paragraph (d) or injured in the circumstances described in paragraph (h) of this subsection and where the bird is so injured or disabled that there is no reasonable chance of its recovering, or

(g) to destroy or remove any such nest which is built in or on an occupied building unless the nest contains the eggs or young of a protected wild bird, or

and nothing in this section shall make unlawful anything which is duly done pursuant to a licence or other permission granted or issued pursuant to the Wildlife Acts, 1976 and 2000 or which is duly done pursuant to any other statute or statutory instrument, which is permitted to be done under such a statute or instrument or which is done pursuant to and in accordance with a licence or other permission granted or issued pursuant to such a statute or instrument or anything caused by or which results from, or is consequent upon or the effect of any other act or thing which is lawfully done.

(9) The Minister may grant a licence to a person—

(d) to examine, inspect or take the nests or eggs of protected wild birds of a species so specified for such educational, scientific or other purposes as shall be so specified.

31.—Section 23 of the Principal Act is hereby amended—

(a) in subsection (5), by the insertion of “or resting place” after “breeding place” in paragraph (d),

(b) by the substitution of the following for subsection (6):

“(6) The Minister may grant a licence to a person—

(a) to take, capture or humanely kill or capture and humanely kill at any time a protected wild animal of a species specified in the licence for such educational, scientific or any other purpose as shall be specified in the licence, or

(b) to take or make photographic, video or other pictures of a protected wild animal of a species so specified on or near the breeding place of such an animal, or

(c) to have in possession, for a reasonable period of time—

(i) an injured or disabled protected wild animal, or

(ii) one or more than one dependant young of a protected wild animal which is orphaned,

with the intention of tending and later releasing such animal or young back into the wild when and only when such animal or young, as the case may be, is no longer injured, disabled or dependant, or

(d) to retain possession of a protected wild animal, that for reasons of disability or for other reasons deemed reasonable by the Minister, would, if released, be unlikely to survive unaided in the wild.”,

(c) in subsection (7)—

(i) by the substitution, in paragraph (a), of “, aquaculture, forestry or turbary,” for “or forestry, or in zoology or in any other scientific pursuit,”,

(ii) by the substitution, in paragraph (c), of “unintentionally to kill or injure such an animal or unintentionally to destroy or injure the breeding place or resting place” for “to kill or injure such an animal or to destroy or injure the breeding place”,

(iii) by the insertion, in paragraph (d), of “, or the orphaned and dependant young of such an animal,” after “protected wild animal” and of “when, but only when, the said animal or its dependant young, as the case may be, are no longer disabled or dependant” after “releasing it,”,

(iv) by the insertion, in paragraph (e), of “and where the animal is so injured or disabled that there is no reasonable chance of its recovering,” after “paragraph (c) of this subsection”, and

(v) by the substitution, in paragraph (iv), of “a licence or other permission granted or issued pursuant to the Wildlife Acts, 1976 and 2000, or which is duly done pursuant to any other statute” for “a statute (other than this Act)”,

and

(d) by the insertion of “, aquaculture, forestry or turbary” for “or forestry” and the deletion, in subsection (9), of “, or in zoology or in another scientific pursuit”,

and the said subsections (5) (other than paragraphs (a), (b) and (c)), (7) (other than paragraph (b) and subparagraphs (i) to (iii)) and (9), as so amended, are set out in the Table to this section.

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(5) Any person who—

(d) wilfully interferes with or destroys the breeding place or resting place of any protected wild animal,

shall be guilty of an offence.

(7) Notwithstanding subsection (5) of this section, it shall not be an offence for a person—

(a) while engaged in agriculture, aquaculture, fishing, forestry or turbary, unintentionally to injure or kill a protected wild animal, or

(c) while constructing a road or while carrying on any archaeological operation, building operation or work of engineering construction, or while constructing or carrying on such other operation or work as may be prescribed, unintentionally to kill or injure such an animal or unintentionally to destroy or injure the breeding place or resting place of such an animal, or

(d) to capture an injured or disabled protected wild animal, or the orphaned and dependant young of such an animal, for the purpose of killing it humanely or with the intention of tending it and later releasing it when, but only when, the said animal or its dependant young, as the case may be, are no longer disabled or dependant, or

(e) to kill humanely a protected wild animal which is either injured in the manner described in paragraph (a) of this subsection or captured in the manner described in paragraph (d) of this subsection or so to kill a protected wild animal injured in the circumstances described in paragraph (c) of this subsection and where the animal is so injured or disabled that there is no reasonable chance of its recovering,

(iv) anything which is duly done pursuant to a licence or other permission granted or issued pursuant to the Wildlife Acts, 1976 and 2000, or which is duly done pursuant to any other statute or statutory instrument, which is permitted to be done under such a statute or instrument or which is done pursuant to and in accordance with a licence or other permission granted or issued pursuant to such a statute or instrument or anything caused by or which results from, or is consequent upon or the effect of any other act or thing which is lawfully done.

(9) In any proceedings for an offence under this section it shall not be necessary for the prosecution to prove that any act constituting (whether in whole or in part) the alleged offence was done otherwise than while the defendant was engaged in agriculture, aquaculture, fishing, forestry or turbary.

32.—The Minister may, with the prior consent of the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources, make regulations to provide that an animal of a species of fish or aquatic invertebrate animal specified in the regulations shall be an animal to which the provisions of this Act shall not apply.

33.—Section 24 of the Principal Act is hereby amended in subsection (2) by the deletion of the words “by individuals” and the said subsection (2), as so amended, is set out in the Table to this section.

TABLE

(2) An order under this section may contain different provisions in relation to different areas and different species of protected wild birds, including provisions limiting the total number of any particular such species which may, during a period of days specified in the order, be killed in hunting in accordance with the order either in relation to the area as a whole to which the order applies or to part of such area.

34.—Section 25 of the Principal Act is hereby amended in subsection (2) by the deletion of the words “by individuals” and the said subsection (2), as so amended, is set out in the Table to this section.

TABLE

(2) An order under this section may contain different provisions in relation to different areas and different species of exempted wild mammals, including provisions limiting the total number of any particular species of such mammal which may, during a period of days specified in the order, be killed in hunting in accordance with the order either in relation to the area as a whole to which the order applies or to part of such area.

35.—Section 26 of the Principal Act is hereby amended by the repeal of subsection (1)(i).

36.—(1) The Minister may control the activities of commercial shoot operators by permits issued under this section and accordingly the Minister may, on application being made in that behalf, if thought fit and on payment to the Minister of the prescribed fee (if any), issue a permit to a person to carry out an activity under this section and attach conditions thereto, and may amend such a permit.

(2) An applicant for a permit under this section shall submit details of all shooting rights which he or she owns or has permission to use together with such other information as the Minister may require.

(3) The Minister may, in considering an application for a permit under this section, have regard to—

(a) the ability of the applicant to comply with any regulations made under subsection (10) which are for the time being in force or the manner in which the applicant has complied with any such regulations while being the holder of a permit issued under this section, and

(b) whether or not the applicant has been convicted of any offence under the Wildlife Acts, 1976 and 2000, or under the law of another jurisdiction which either or both corresponds to an offence under those Acts and relates to the conservation of wildlife.

(4) On the issuing of a permit under this section, the Minister may, having regard to the information to which subsection (2) relates and to any other information available to the Minister, limit the amount of hunting which may take place over particular land or lands in respect of which the applicant for the permit either owns shooting rights or has permission of the owner of these shooting rights, and shall include in the permit such conditions, including conditions relating to gun days, as the Minister considers appropriate.

(5) A permit issued by the Minister under this section shall, unless it is previously withdrawn, remain in force for any period specified by the Minister not exceeding 3 years.

(6) (a) Every applicant for the issue of a permit under this section shall have the right of appeal, to the District Court for the District in which the applicant resides, against the refusal of the Minister to issue such a permit.

(b) Where, in the case of the refusal by the Minister to issue a permit under this section, the applicant is the holder of a subsisting permit under this section, then the permit shall continue in force pending the determination of an appeal against such refusal or the appeal ceases for any other reason.

(c) The Minister shall be notified in writing by registered post by the applicant of any such appeal not less than 21 days before the hearing of the appeal and shall have the right to appear and be heard at the hearing.

(d) Where an appeal under this subsection is allowed, the Minister shall issue a permit subject to any conditions which the judge allowing the appeal may require to be attached to the permit.

(7) (a) The Minister may, having given 21 days' notice to the holder of a permit issued under this section, withdraw the permit if the holder has failed to comply with the conditions thereof or with regulations made under subsection (10) which are for the time being in force, and shall notify the holder of the reasons for such withdrawal.

(b) The holder of a permit issued under this section shall have the right to appeal, to the District Court for the District in which the holder of the permit resides, within a period of 21 days in respect of the notification by the Minister to withdraw the permit.

(c) Where, in the case of the notification of withdrawal by the Minister of a permit under this section, the holder of the permit appeals to the District Court in accordance with paragraph (b), the permit shall continue in force pending the determination of an appeal against such withdrawal or the appeal ceases for any other reason.

(d) The Minister shall be notified in writing by registered post of any appeal to which paragraph (b) relates not less than 21 days before the hearing of the appeal and shall have the right to appear and be heard at the hearing.

(8) The Minister shall from time to time publish or cause to be published a list of holders of permits issued under this section.

(9) As and from such date as the Minister may by order appoint, a person shall not act as, or hold himself or herself out as, a commercial shoot operator (whether by that name or otherwise) unless he or she is in possession of a subsisting permit issued under this section.

(10) (a) The Minister may make regulations for the purposes of giving full effect to this section and may, in particular, provide for procedures in relation to the making of applications for permits under this section and the consideration of applications.

(b) Without prejudice to the generality of paragraph (a), regulations made under this subsection may—

(i) provide for the form of applications,

(ii) require applicants to publish or give specified notices relating to their applications,

(iii) require applicants to furnish to the Minister or to an officer of the Minister duly authorised any specified information relating to their applications, including information relating to employees and agents of holders of, or applicants for, permits issued under this section,

(iv) provide for the availability for inspection by the Minister or by an officer of the Minister duly authorised of documents or extracts from documents relating to applications,

(v) provide for consultation with such bodies, including statutory bodies, as may be prescribed for that purpose,

(vi) provide for the making of submissions or observations to the Minister in relation to applications and the period during which such submissions or observations may be made,

(vii) require applicants to submit further information relating to their applications, and

(viii) require the production of evidence to verify particulars of information given by an applicant.

(11) A person who—

(a) contravenes subsection (9) of this section, or

(b) fails to comply with any condition or requirement of a permit, or

(c) makes false or misleading statements or declarations, or furnishes a document or information which is false, with a view to obtaining a permit,

shall be guilty of an offence.

(12) In this section—

“commercial shoot operator” means a person who either owns shooting rights on lands or has permission of the owner of those shooting rights and who uses these rights or permissions for the purposes of providing hunting on these lands to others for reward;

“gun days” means the number of days in any hunting season in which one gun can be used to sustainably hunt over particular land or lands in respect of any class of or all wild animals or wild birds.

37.—Section 28 of the Principal Act is hereby amended by the insertion of the following after subsection (2):

“(2A) (a) An applicant for—

(i) the grant of a licence under section 29 of this Act, or

(ii) the grant or renewal of a certificate to which section 29(5) of this Act relates,

may, before the granting of any such licence or the granting or renewal of any such certificate, be required to supply satisfactory evidence that the applicant is a competent person to hold such a licence.

(b) The evidence required under paragraph (a) of this subsection shall include the ability to identify certain species of fauna and to have a satisfactory knowledge of the relevant provisions of the Wildlife Acts, 1976 and 2000, and of any instruments made under those Acts.

(c) The Minister may make regulations for the purpose of giving effect to this subsection.”.

38.—The Principal Act is hereby amended by the substitution of the following for section 30:

“30.—(1) (a) A person shall not, without permission given in writing by the Minister, hunt protected wild animals and wild birds on or over foreshore belonging to the State or on or over land belonging to the State and which is either covered by any inland waters or comprised in the lakeshore accretion from any lake, or accretion from the sea where such land is owned by the State.

(b) The Minister may by regulations—

(i) in relation to wild birds—

(I) apply this section, either generally or by reference to one or more species, to wild birds, or

(II) apply this section generally to species of wild birds subject to the exclusion of one or more such species,

and

(ii) in relation to wild animals—

(I) apply this section, either generally or by reference to one or more species, to wild animals which are not protected wild animals, or

(II) apply this section generally to species of wild animals which are not protected wild animals, subject to the exclusion of one or more such species.

(c) The Minister may attach conditions in writing to any permission given under this subsection and may at any time vary such conditions or withdraw any such permission.

(2) In determining an application for permission under this section, the Minister shall have regard to the conservation requirements of the species concerned.

(3) Any person who contravenes subsection (1) of this section or fails to comply with a condition under that subsection shall be guilty of an offence.”.

39.—Section 31 of the Principal Act is hereby amended—

(a) by the addition, to subsection (1), after “bred in captivity” of “; but nothing in this subsection shall make unlawful the possession consequent upon the capture of any such bird pursuant to and in accordance with a licence or permission granted under this Act”, and

(b) by the substitution, in subsection (4), of “not later than 10 days after it has been hatched” for “while a fledgling”,

and the said subsections (1) and (4), as so amended, are set out in the Table to this section.

TABLE

(1) It shall be an offence for any person to sell, purchase or have in his possession a live perching bird to which this section applies other than a close-ringed specimen bred in captivity; but nothing in this subsection shall make unlawful the possession consequent upon the capture of any such bird pursuant to and in accordance with a licence or permission granted under this Act.

(4) In this section “close-ringed specimen” means a specimen of live perching bird (order Passeriformes) fitted with a continuous metal band or ring which has been slipped over its foot and on to its leg not later than 10 days after it has been hatched.

40.—Section 32 of the Principal Act is hereby amended—

(a) by the substitution of the following for subsections (1) and (2):

“(1) It shall be an offence for a person, otherwise than pursuant to and in accordance with a licence granted by the Minister for the purposes of this subsection, to—

(a) mark by cutting, branding or tattooing, or

(b) attach any band, ring, microchip, tag or other marking device to,

any wild animal or wild bird or to take by net, trap or by any other means any such animal or bird for the purposes of so marking it or attaching to it any band, ring, microchip, tag or other marking device.

(1A) Subject to subsection (4) of section 31 of this Act, the Minister may by regulations specify the method of marking, including the type and size of any band, ring, microchip, tag or other marking device or substance, for the purposes of either or both the said section 31 and of this section and different methods may be specified for different species.

(2) Subsection (1) of this section shall not apply to—

(a) the close ringing of artificially reared wild birds,

(b) captive bred birds prescribed in an open seasons order,

(c) captive bred waterfowl collections, or

(d) the clipping of the feathers of an artificially reared protected wild bird for purposes of the confinement prior to the release into the wild of such protected wild bird.”,

(b) in subsection (3), by the insertion after “import” of “into the State from outside the European Union”, and

(c) by the insertion of the following after subsection (3):

“(3A) The granting of a licence under subsection (3) of this section shall not be construed as restricting any application of, or removing any obligation to comply with, the Firearms Acts, 1925 to 2000.”.

41.—Section 33 of the Principal Act is hereby amended—

(a) in subsection (1), by the substitution of “hunt or injure in the course of hunting” for “kill or injure”,

(b) in subsection (2), by the substitution of “hunt” for “kill”, of “animal” for “mammal” and of “any explosive other than ammunition for, and used with, a firearm” for “a floating container containing an explosive substance”,

(c) in subsection (3), by the substitution of “hunt or injure in the course of hunting” for “kill or injure” and the insertion of “otherwise than under and in accordance with a licence granted in that behalf by the Minister” after “hare”, and

(d) in subsection (4), by the substitution of “animals” for “mammals” in both places where it occurs,

and the said subsections (1), (2), (3) and (4), as so amended, are set out in the Table to this section.

TABLE

(1) It shall be an offence for a person to hunt or injure in the course of hunting—

(a) with a repeating or automatic shotgun (other than a repeating or automatic shotgun which is adapted or modified so as to render it incapable of carrying more than three shotgun cartridges), with an airgun, air-rifle, gas-rifle, pistol or revolver, or with any firearm fitted with a silencer device, any wild bird,

(b) with a rifle, any protected wild bird.

(2) It shall be an offence for a person to hunt or injure any wild bird or wild animal with a spring gun, or with tracer shot or with any explosive other than ammunition for, and used with, a firearm.

(3) It shall be an offence for a person to hunt or injure in the course of hunting with a shotgun a protected wild animal other than a hare otherwise than under and in accordance with a licence granted in that behalf by the Minister.

(4) Subject to the foregoing subsections of this section, the Minister may make regulations specifying the type and calibre of firearms and ammunition which may be used to hunt wild birds and wild animals and providing that firearms and ammunition of any other type and calibre shall not be used to hunt such birds or animals.

42.—Section 34 of the Principal Act is hereby amended—

(a) in subsection (1), by the substitution of the following for paragraphs (a), (b) and (c):

“(a) hunt any wild bird, wild mammal or protected wild animal by means of a trap, snare, net, line, hook, arrow, dart, spear or similar device however propelled, instrument or missile, or birdlime or any substance of a like nature, or any poisonous, poisoned or stupefying bait, any gas or smoke or chemical wetting agent or any electrical device which is calculated or likely to cause death, unconsciousness or bodily injury to such bird, mammal or animal, or

(b) affix, place or set—

(i) any trap, snare or net for killing or taking a wild bird, wild mammal or protected wild animal, or

(ii) any line, hook, electrical device or other device or instrument, calculated or likely to cause death or bodily injury to any wild bird, wild mammal or protected wild animal coming in contact with it,

on any tree, pole, cairn or other structure in, or in the vicinity of, any place frequented by wild birds, wild mammals or protected wild animals, or

(c) lay any poisonous or poisoned substance or stupefying bait, or any gas or smoke or chemical wetting agent, being a substance, bait or agent which is calculated or is likely to cause injury, or facilitate the capture of, a wild bird, wild mammal or protected wild animal, in or in the vicinity of, any place mentioned in paragraph (b) of this subsection, or on any tree, pole, cairn or other structure in or in the vicinity of such place.”,

(b) by the substitution, in paragraph (b) of subsection (2), of “wild animal” for “wild mammal”,

(c) in subsection (3)—

(i) by the insertion, in paragraph (a), of “or wild animal” after “wild bird”,

(ii) by the insertion of the following after paragraph (c):

“(cc) the capture or killing of any wild bird or any wild animal in or on, or the removal of any such bird or animal from, any premises or other land by means of any poisoned, poisonous or stupefying substance specified in the licence, or any gas or smoke or chemical wetting agent or other devices so specified, for the purpose of stopping or preventing serious damage being caused to any thing to which section 42(1) of this Act relates,”,

(iii) by the substitution of the following for paragraph (d):

“(d) the capture alive of, or the taking of dead, wild birds or wild animals, for research or other scientific or educational purposes or for removal of live wild birds or wild animals to a new habitat, or to a place specified in the licence.”,

(d) by the substitution, in paragraph (a) of subsection (4), of “animals” for “mammals”,

(e) by the insertion of the following after subsection (4):

“(4A) In relation to wild animals to which this section does not otherwise apply, the Minister may by regulations—

(a) apply this section to such wild animals, either generally or by reference to one or more species, or

(b) apply this section generally to species of such wild animals, subject to the exclusion of one or more such species.”,

(f) by the substitution of the following for subsection (6):

“(6) Any person who imports into the State from outside the European Union, or has in his possession other than pursuant to and in accordance with a licence granted by the Minister in that behalf, or who in the course of his trade or business sells or offers for sale a trap, snare or net which pursuant to subsection (4) of this section is for the time being declared by the Minister to be a trap, snare or net to which this subsection applies shall be guilty of an offence.”,

and

(g) by the addition of the following after subsection (7):

“(8) The other provisions of this section are without prejudice to sections 7 and 14 of the Protection of Animals (Amendment) Act 1965.”,

and the said subsections (2) (other than paragraph (a)), (3) (other than paragraphs (b) to (d)) and (4) (other than paragraph (b)), as so amended, are set out in the Table to this section.

TABLE

(2) Subsection (1) of this section shall not apply to or render unlawful—

(b) the taking or killing by means of any such trap, snare or net of any wild bird which is not a protected wild bird or any wild animal which is not a protected wild animal,

and nothing in the said subsection shall make unlawful anything which is duly done pursuant to a statute (other than this Act) or statutory instrument, which is permitted to be done under such a statute or statutory instrument or which is done pursuant to and in accordance with a licence or other permission granted or issued pursuant to such a statute or statutory instrument or anything caused by or which results from, or is consequent upon or the effect of any other act or thing which is lawfully done.

(3) Subsection (1) of this section shall not apply to any of the following if done pursuant to and in accordance with a licence granted in that behalf by the Minister:

(a) the capture alive, on land specified in the licence by means of a trap, snare or net of any species of wild bird or wild animal specified in the licence, for the purpose of propagating or of improving the quality of such species,

(4) The Minister may by regulations declare a trap, snare or net which is of a particular type, class or description specified in the regulations—

(a) to be approved of for the purposes of this section and may, if he thinks fit, regulate its use as regards wild birds or wild animals,

43.—Section 35 of the Principal Act is hereby amended—

(a) in subsection (1)—

(i) by the substitution of the following for paragraphs (a) and (b):

“(a) use, for the purpose of hunting, repelling or scaring any wild bird or any wild animal—

(i) any live wild bird or live wild animal which is tethered or secured by braces or other similar appliance or which is confined in a cage or pen or which is blind, maimed or injured, or

(ii) any kite, light trap, balloon, aircraft (including model aircraft) or similar device,

or

(b) use, as a decoy for the purpose of hunting any wild bird or any wild animal, any live wild animal or live bird, or”,

(ii) by the insertion, in paragraph (c), of “wood pigeons,” before “wild duck”,

(iii) by the substitution of the following for paragraph (d):

“(d) use an electrical or other instrument or appliance (including recording apparatus) emitting sound, for the purpose of hunting any wild bird or any wild animal.”,

(b) in subsection (3)—

(i) by the substitution of the following for paragraph (a):

“(a) the use for hunting, repelling or scaring any wild bird or any wild animal of a species specified in the order of any stuffed or artificial decoy or any device, whistle, instrument or appliance which is of a particular type, class or description specified in the order, or”,

(ii) by the insertion, in paragraph (b), of “plover,” before “wild duck”,

(c) by the substitution of the following for subsection (4):

“(4) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, a decoy, vehicle or an instrument or appliance, including electrical or other recording apparatus emitting sound for the purpose of repelling, scaring or capturing any wild bird or any wild animal, may be used, pursuant to and in accordance with a licence granted in that behalf by the Minister, for scientific research or for another purpose approved of by the Minister.

(4A) Nothing in this section shall be construed as restricting—

(a) the practice of falconry lawfully carried out in accordance with a licence or licences granted in accordance with section 41 of this Act, or

(b) the taking, killing or use of a wild animal, which is not a protected wild animal, for the purpose of, or while engaged in the practice of fishing.”,

and the said subsections (1) (other than paragraphs (a), (b) and (d)) and (3) (other than paragraph (a)), as so amended, are set out in the Table to this section.

TABLE

(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act apart from this section, but subject to section 42, a person shall not—

(c) use a stuffed or artificial decoy in the form of any bird for the purpose of hunting any protected wild birds, other than wood pigeons, wild duck and wild geese, or

(3) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, the Minister may by order prohibit throughout the State or in any particular area thereof—

(b) the use of any orally or manually operated whistle or other instrument or appliance (not being recording apparatus) which imitates, or emits calls similar to, the calls of plover, wild duck or wild geese or emits recorded such calls.

44.—Section 36 of the Principal Act is hereby amended—

(a) in subsection (1)—

(i) by the deletion of “but subject to section 42”,

(ii) in paragraph (a), by the substitution of “wild animal” for “protected wild animal”, and

(iii) in paragraph (b), by the substitution of “wild bird” for “protected wild bird”,

(b) by the substitution, in subsection (2), of “wild birds or wild animals” for “protected wild birds or protected wild animals”, and

(c) by the insertion of the following after subsection (4):

“(5) In this section, ‘mechanically-propelled' includes propulsion which is electrical or partly electrical and partly mechanical.”,

and the said subsections (1) and (2), as so amended, are set out in the Table to this section.

TABLE

(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act apart from this section, a person shall not hunt or disturb for the purpose of hunting—

(a) any wild animal by means of a mechanically-propelled vehicle, vessel or aircraft, whether it is being so propelled or is stationary,

(b) any wild bird by means of such a vehicle, vessel or aircraft, while it is being so propelled.

(2) Notwithstanding subsection (1) of this section, a mechanically-propelled vehicle, vessel or aircraft may be used to capture or kill, pursuant to and in accordance with a licence granted in that behalf by the Minister and for such educational, scientific or other purposes as are specified in the licence, wild birds or wild animals of a species so specified.

45.—The Principal Act is hereby amended by the substitution of the following for section 38:

“38.—(1) Any person who uses—

(a) any lamp, light, torch, mirror or other artificial light-reflecting or dazzling device or appliance, or

(b) any device for illuminating, image intensifying or heat seeking a target, or

(c) any sighting device for night shooting, or

(d) any device or appliance which is of a type, class or description specified in an order under subsection (2) of this section,

in hunting any protected wild bird or protected wild animal otherwise than while either—

(i) attaching thereto any band, ring, tag or other marking device, or

(ii) hunting for educational or scientific purposes or for any other purpose,

pursuant to and in accordance with a licence granted under this Act by the Minister, shall be guilty of an offence.

(2) (a) The Minister may by order declare a device or appliance which is of a type, class or description specified in the order to be a device or appliance to which subsection (1) of this section applies.

(b) The Minister may amend or revoke an order made under this subsection.”.

46.—Section 40 of the Principal Act is hereby amended—

(a) by the substitution of the following for subsection (1):

“(1) (a) It shall be an offence for a person to cut, grub, burn or otherwise destroy, during the period beginning on the 1st day of March and ending on the 31st day of August in any year, any vegetation growing on any land not then cultivated.

(b) It shall be an offence for a person to cut, grub, burn or otherwise destroy any vegetation growing in any hedge or ditch during the period mentioned in paragraph (a) of this subsection.”,

(b) by the substitution of the following for paragraph (c) of subsection (2):

“(c) the cutting, grubbing or destroying of vegetation in the course of any works being duly carried out for reasons of public health or safety by a Minister of the Government or a body established or regulated by or under a statute;

(cc) the clearance of vegetation in the course of fisheries development works carried out by the Central Fisheries Board or a regional fisheries board in the exercise of its functions under the Fisheries Acts, 1959 to 1999;”,

(c) by the substitution of the following for paragraph (e) of subsection (2):

“(e) the clearance of vegetation in the course of road or other construction works or in the development or preparation of sites on which any building or other structure is intended to be provided;”,

and

(d) by the addition of the following after subsection (2):

“(3) The Minister may request from the person concerned details of any works carried out under subsection (2)(c) and such details shall be furnished to the Minister by that person together with a statement of the public health or safety factors involved.

(4) In any proceedings taken in respect of a contravention of this section consisting of the doing of any act, it shall be a good defence to prove that the doing of that act was necessary for the purpose of extinguishing or preventing the spread of a fire while it was in progress or for the purpose of saving human life or was necessary in any other emergency in respect of which that act was an appropriate measure.”.

47.—Section 41 of the Principal Act is hereby amended in subsection (1):

(a) by the substitution of “Notwithstanding anything contained in section 22 or 23 of this Act, the Minister may make regulations” for “The Minister may make regulations”,

(b) by the substitution, in paragraphs (a), (b) and (c), of “owls, buzzards, kites, vultures, harriers and other birds of the orders Accipitriformes, Falconiformes and Strigiformes” for “and other birds of the order Falconiformes”,

(c) by the insertion, in paragraph (b), of “breeding or” before “training”, and

(d) by the substitution, in paragraph (d), of the following for subparagraph (ii):

“(ii) take, have in his possession or under his control any eagle, hawk, falcon, owl, buzzard, kite, vulture, harrier or other birds of the orders Accipitriformes, Falconiformes and Strigiformes or the eggs or young of any eagle, hawk, falcon, owl, buzzard, kite, vulture, harrier or other birds of the orders Accipitriformes, Falconiformes and Strigiformes,

(iii) engage in breeding any eagle, hawk, falcon, owl, buzzard, kite, vulture, harrier or other bird of the orders Accipitriformes, Falconiformes and Strigiformes,”,

and the said subsection (1) (other than paragraphs (e) and (f)), as so amended, is set out in the Table to this section.

TABLE

(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in section 22 or 23 of this Act, the Minister may make regulations—

(a) regulating hunting by means of eagles, hawks, falcons, owls, buzzards, kites, vultures, harriers and other birds of the orders Accipitriformes, Falconiformes and Strigiformes trained to hawk for sport, or otherwise governing the practice of falconry,

(b) regulating the taking of eagles, hawks, falcons, owls, buzzards, kites, vultures, harriers and other birds of the orders Accipitriformes, Falconiformes and Strigiformes for breeding or training to hawk for sport,

(c) regulating the possession, breeding, training to hawk for sport, display or exhibition of eagles, hawks, falcons, owls, buzzards, kites, vultures, harriers and other birds of the orders Accipitriformes, Falconiformes and Strigiformes,

(d) providing that a person shall not, save under and in accordance with a licence granted in that behalf by the Minister—

(i) engage in falconry,

(ii) take, have in his possession or under his control any eagle, hawk, falcon, owl, buzzard, kite, vulture, harrier or other birds of the orders Accipitriformes, Falconiformes and Strigiformes or the eggs or young of any eagle, hawk, falcon, owl, buzzard, kite, vulture, harrier or other birds of the orders Accipitriformes, Falconiformes and Strigiformes,

(iii) engage in breeding any eagle, hawk, falcon, owl, buzzard, kite, vulture, harrier or other birds of the orders Accipitriformes, Falconiformes and Strigiformes,

48.—Section 42 of the Principal Act is hereby amended—

(a) in subsection (1)—

(i) by the insertion of “serious” before “damage”,

(ii) by the insertion, in paragraph (a), of “food (including human food products and animal feeds)” before “livestock”,

(iii) by the deletion of “or” after the word “plantation” in paragraph (e) and the addition of the following after paragraph (f):

“(g) buildings and other structures and their contents, or

(h) aquaculture installations,”,

(iv) by the insertion of “scaring,” before “capture”,

(b) by the insertion of the following after subsection (1):

“(1A) Any person who by act or omission impedes or obstructs a person authorised by the Minister in the lawful exercise of a power conferred by subsection (1) of this section shall be guilty of an offence.”,

(c) by the insertion, in subsection (4), of “scare,” before “capture”,

(d) by the deletion, in subsection (5), of “, to the forester in charge of any forest owned by the Minister”, and

(e) by the substitution of the following for subsection (6):

“(6) In addition to the foregoing, the following provisions shall apply in relation to a permission granted under this section:

(a) the permission shall be valid only for such period and in relation to such area as are specified therein,

(b) particulars of all protected wild birds and protected wild animals captured or killed pursuant to the permission shall be furnished to the Minister by the person to whom the permission is given at such times and in such form as is specified in the permission,

(c) notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, the Minister may grant the permission subject to conditions which may include one or more of the following:

(i) that any scaring, capture or killing pursuant to the permission is to be effected by a specified means,

(ii) that any wild bird or any wild animal captured or killed pursuant to the permission shall have affixed to it a tag or other mark of identification to be specified by the Minister,

(iii) that any wild bird or any wild animal captured pursuant to the permission shall be removed to a place specified by the Minister for subsequent release or be disposed of in such other manner as may be so specified,

(iv) that any wild bird or any wild animal killed pursuant to the permission shall be removed to a place specified by the Minister or be disposed of in such other manner as may be so specified,

(v) that the total number of any particular species of protected wild bird or protected wild animal captured or killed pursuant to the permission shall be limited to such number as is specified in the permission.”,

and the said subsections (1) (other than paragraphs (b) to (f)), (4) and (5), as so amended, are set out in the Table to this section.

TABLE

(1) Where serious damage is being caused by protected wild birds or by protected wild animals to—

(a) food (including human food products and animal feeds), livestock, poultry or agricultural crops (including vegetables or fruit) either on pasture or on cultivated land,

(g) buildings and other structures and their contents, or

(h) aquaculture installations,

notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, the Minister may cause to be taken by a person authorised by him in that behalf (who is hereby empowered to take) such steps, including entering on any land and the scaring, capture or killing of any such wild bird or any such wild animal, as he thinks appropriate to stop the damage.

(4) An application to the Minister for a permission under this section shall include particulars of the damage in relation to which the application is made and in case the Minister decides to grant the permission, notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, the permission shall, subject to its terms, operate to enable the owner or occupier, or any other person duly authorised to act on his behalf, to scare, capture or kill any protected wild bird or any protected wild animal which the owner, occupier or other person reasonably believes is causing the damage and to take such other steps (if any) to stop the damage as are specified in the permission.

(5) An application for a permission under this section may be made to the Minister or to any other person who is authorised for the time being by the Minister to receive such applications.

49.—Section 43 of the Principal Act is hereby amended in subsection (1)—

(a) by the substitution of “Arterial Drainage Acts, 1945 and 1995” for “Arterial Drainage Act 1945”,

(b) by the insertion of “which is likely or liable to affect, or to interfere with, or is” before “in respect of an area”,

(c) by the insertion of “or land particulars of which have been included in a notice or order under Chapter II of Part III of the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000” after “section 18 of this Act applies”, and

(d) by the insertion of “nature reserve, refuge, natural heritage area or area subject to a notice served under section 16(2)(b) of the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000” for “nature reserve or refuge”,

and the said subsection (1), as so amended, is set out in the Table to this section.

TABLE

(1) Where the Commissioners propose to undertake either—

(a) a drainage scheme within the meaning of the Arterial Drainage Acts, 1945 and 1995, which is one to which this section applies, or

(b) any other land drainage scheme,

which is likely or liable to affect, or to interfere with, or is in respect of an area which includes land to which an establishment order, a recognition order or a designation order applies, or land to which an agreement made under section 18 of this Act applies or land particulars of which have been included in a notice or order under Chapter II of Part III of the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000, the Commissioners shall, before commencing the scheme, consult the Minister to ascertain if and to what extent the proposed scheme if carried out would affect or interfere with the suitability of the land affected by the scheme for a nature reserve, refuge or natural heritage area, as may be appropriate, and take all practicable steps including, where appropriate, the limitation of the drainage scheme to minimise or avoid such effect or interference.

50.—Section 44 of the Principal Act is hereby amended—

(a) by the substitution of the following for paragraph (c) of subsection (1):

“(c) carries on the land—

(i) any firearm, or

(ii) any net, or other weapon, instrument or device capable of being used for hunting a wild bird or a wild animal,

or”,

(b) in subsection (2), by the insertion of the following after paragraph (b):

“(bb) an authorised person or a member of the Garda Síochána,”,

(c) by the insertion of the following after subsection (2):

“(2A) An authorised person or a member of the Garda Síochána in exercising a power under subsection (2) of this section may size any firearm, other weapon or device or part thereof.”,

(d) by the substitution of the following for subsection (7):

“(7) In any proceedings for an offence under this section it shall not be necessary for the prosecutor to prove that, at the time of the offence, a defendant—

(a) was on the land without lawful authority, or

(b) was not the owner or occupier of the land,

and in case a defendant claims that he was on the land with lawful authority or is either the owner or occupier of the land, the onus of proving such authority, or that he is the owner or occupier of the land, shall be on the defendant.”.