Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Will the Minister of State outline the sufficient provisions that do exist in this Bill to designate? I have set out clearly the types of habitats or features that would be protected by this. If we have a Natura site and an SAC, for example, very strong conditions are imposed regarding what can be done within those areas. The conditions regarding natural heritage areas are a little less strong. Special areas of amenity come with the need to seek planning for all types of development within them and there are very few exceptions. I am thinking about small parts of large sites, for example in my own constituency where there is a really important clump of trees that would be very beneficial for the development that is going in there. I refer to the provision of green spaces and nice places for people to sit and look out on. The measure seeks to protect nature in urban centres. Do sufficient provisions exist for those types of small sites that are locally important to people and councillors, but do not meet the bar to be designated as an NHA, SAC or SAAO?