South Dublin Branch News

Existing SPA designation in Dublin Bay

New SPA extensions in S Dublin Bay

NOTICE OF INTENTION TO DESIGNATE SOUTH DUBLIN BAY AND RIVER TOLKA ESTUARY (Site code: 004024) DUBLIN as a SPECIAL PROTECTION AREA (SPA) 28.05.2008 This extract from the "notice of intention" is published in the national daily newspapers today Wedensday 28th May 2008. It extends the existing SPA designation of the South Bay eastward to a line joining the Poolbeg lighthouse to the lighthouse at the end of the west pier at Dun Laoghaire. It also extends the Tolka SPA south towards the river. In addition it includes .. The site includes Booterstown Marsh, an enclosed area of saltmarsh and muds that is cut off from the sea by the Dublin/Wexford railway line, being linked only by a channel to the east, the Nutley stream ( i.e. Williamstown Creek also included). Sea water incursions into the marsh occur along this stream at high tide. An area of grassland at Poolbeg (below), north of Irishtown Nature Park, is also included in the site ( i.e. the compensatory field for Brent Geese south of the sewage works ). Grassland at Poolbeg: Nature Park to left & sewage works to right Both Common Tern and Arctic Tern breed in Dublin Docks, on a man-made mooring structure known as the E.S.B. dolphin: this is included within the site. Small numbers of Common Tern and Arctic Tern were recorded nesting on this dolphin in the 1980s. A survey of the dolphin in 1999 recorded Common Tern nesting here in nationally important numbers (194 pairs). This increase was largely due to the ongoing management of the site for breeding terns. More recent data highlights this site as one of the most important Common Tern sites in the country with over 400 pairs recorded here in 2007. The South Bay is an important tern roost in the autumn (mostly late July to September). Birds also use the Dalkey Islands to the south. The origin of many of the birds is likely to be the Dublin breeding sites (Rockabill and the Dublin Docks) though numbers suggest that the site is also used by birds from other sites, perhaps outside the state. More than 10,000 terns have been recorded, consisting of Common, Arctic and Roseate terns.

Tolka and South Bay SPA to be extended under EU Birds Directive - Frank McDonald, Environment Editor, The Irish Times - 28th April 2008 MINISTER FOR the Environment John Gormley will shortly make an order extending the Dublin Bay Special Protection Area, an EU designation intended to protect wild birds, by almost 30 per cent. The extension, described by a spokesman for the Minister as the biggest nature initiatives" in a decade, it certainly put an end to Dublin Port Company’s long-plans for a further infill of 52 acres, to expand the port's capacity. The original Dublin Bay Special Protection Area was designated in 1999, but from the outset there have been complaints that the area it covered was top small and did not include key areas close to Dublin Port in the Tolka estuary - following representations from the port. When the draft designation was first advertised by the National Parks and Wildlife Service, the port company objected to the inclusion of the area it had earmarked for expansion. A "mapping error" was admitted, and this area was not included in the final map. The European Commission subsequently initiated legal action against Ireland and other member states in the European Court of Justice for allegedly not making sufficient progress in meting the requirements of the EU Birds Directive. The commission's case was based on a number of instances where Special-Protection Area designations should have been put in place on the basis of the scientific evidence, but were not. One of these was the area proposed for development by the Dublin Port Company. The judgment of the court, handed down last December, confirmed that Ireland was required to extend the earlier SPA designation in Dublin Bay to include this area. Failure to do so could lead to a massive penalty and daily fines being imposed. Since then, the Department of the Environment has undertaken a comprehensive review of the Dublin Bay special area and the Minister has approved a significant increase in the size of the area from 1,700 hectares to 2,190 hectares, including the area omitted in 1999. Dublin Bay is of considerable ecological importance and is recognised as being so by the designation of substantial portions of its area under national and EU legislation and also under wide ranging international agreements such as the UN Biosphere Reserve on Bull Island. In discussions with the European Commission, Ireland has already agreed to redesignate all previously designated special protection areas, ensuring that they are given full protection and formally notifying owners/users of specific "notifiable activities" that require Ministerial consent. In the case of Dublin Bay, a process of consultation with interested bodies has commenced with a view to ensuring that all development proposals are properly assessed to avoid any adverse impact on the populations of protected bird species in the bay. BirdWatch Ireland PRESS RELEASE re. European Court of Justice judgement against Ireland Background to Dublin Port Company's infill plan Poolbeg Tern SPA under threat The proposed extension includes several important habitats; the Dolphin at ESB Poolbeg for nesting Common and Arctic Terns, the grassland at Poolbeg for Brent Geese and Booterstown Marsh as a winter high tide roost in South Dublin Bay.