113 Mr. Nealon asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht the areas of County Sligo which have been designated as national heritage areas; and the reason each particular area was designated a national heritage area. [19706/96]

No natural heritage areas have been designated to date and I do not intend to designate any such areas until after the Wildlife Act, 1976, has been amended by the Oireachtas. I expect to be in a position to introduce the relevant Bill in the Dáil before the end of this year.

Areas of ecological interest have been advertised throughout the country as proposed natural heritage areas as part of the pre-designation consultation process. The sites proposed in County Sligo are:

114 Mr. Nealon asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht the criteria used for the designation of an area as a national heritage area; the person who, in the first place, initiates the process by which an area is designated a national heritage area; the person who is responsible for the final decision; if there is any system of appeal by land owners who are not in agreement with the decision to designate particular properties as national heritage areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19707/96]

No natural heritage areas have been designated to date. Designation will not occur until amending legislation to the Wildlife Act, 1976, has been enacted. I expect to introduce the necessary Bill to the House before the end of the year. The Bill will also establish a formal system for hearing objections to NHA designations.

The areas likely to receive NHA designation have been advertised as proposals and interested parties may, if they so wish, informally object through the National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department either to have land included or excluded from a proposed NHA.

The proposed NHAs were identified as a result of a survey by the NPWS of areas formerly classified as areas of scientific interest. Areas which, on the basis of scientific assessment, satisfied the relevant criteria, were proposed to me by the NPWS for NHA designation. The criteria used in the election procedure are outlined in the Appendix.

The final decision on which areas are to be formally designated will be taken by me following a period of consultation with affected landowners and users and with local communities and other interested parties.

APPENDIX

Lands were selected for proposal as natural heritage areas if, on the basis of current scientific knowledge, they were judged to warrant designation by reference to one or more of the following criteria.

115 Mr. Nealon asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht the areas of County Leitrim which have been designated as national heritage areas; and the reason each particular area was designated a national heritage area. [19708/96]

No natural heritage areas have been designated to date and I do not intend to designate any such areas until the Wildlife Act, 1976, has been amended by the Oireachtas. I expect to be in a position to introduce the relevant Bill in the Dáil before the end of this year.

Areas of ecological interest have been advertised throughout the country as proposed natural heritage areas as part of the pre-designation consultation process. The sites proposed in County Leitrim are: Aghavoghil Stream, Aghnamona Bog, Annaghearly Lough, Arroo Mountain, Barleat and Lackagh Bogs, Ben Bulben, Gleniff and Glenade Complex, Bonet River, Bunduff Lough and Machair/Trawalua/Mullaghmore, Carrickaport Lough, Cashel Bog, Cloonageeher Bog, Clooncoe Wood and Lough, Corduff Lough, Corracramph Bog, Cromlin Bridge Wood, Cuilcagh-Anierin Uplands, Drumhierny Woods, Gardice Lough Woods, Glasshouse Lake, Glenade Lough, Kilgarriff Marsh, Kinlough Wood, Lough Allen South end and parts, Lough Boderg and Lough Bofin, Lough Drumharlow, Lough Errew, Lough Gill, Lough Melvin, Lough Rinn, Lough Sallagh, O'Donnell's Rock Wood Owengar Wood, Rinn River, Sheemore.

To facilitate the Deputy I am arranging to have maps indicating the location of the sites forwarded separately to him. The sites were chosen on account of their ecological relevance and the criteria used are outlined in my reply to today's Question No. 114.