2. Section 16 of the Act of 2000 is amended—

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

“(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.”,

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

“(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.”,

and

(c) in subsection (6)(b), by the insertion of “its role in carbon sequestration or pollination,” after “contained in it,”.