STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS

S.I. No. 371 of 2001.

WILDLIFE (AMENDMENT) ACT, 2000 (COMMENCEMENT) (NO.2) ORDER, 2001

Published by the Stationery Office

Dublin

S.I. No. 371 of 2001.

WILDLIFE (AMENDMENT) ACT, 2000 (COMMENCEMENT) (NO.2) ORDER, 2001

I, Síle de Valera, Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 2 of the Wildlife (Amendment) Act, 2000 ( No. 38 of 2000 ), order as follows:

1.       This Order may be cited as the Wildlife (Amendment) Act, 2000 (Commencement) (No.2) Order, 2001

2.       The 31^st day of July, 2001, is fixed as the day on which the Wildlife (Amendment) Act, 2000 (No.38 of 2000) , other than section 36 thereof, shall, insofar as not already in operation, come into operation.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation).

This Order commences all remaining sections of the Wildlife (Amendment) Act, 2000 , other than Section 36 thereof.

This Order:

•    Introduces statutory protection for NHAs (Natural Heritage Areas) and geological and geomorphological sites.

•    Strengthens protection afforded to SACs (Special Areas of Conservation) and wildlife species and their habitats.

•    Extends the powers of the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands to act independently of forestry legislation and gives specific recognition to the Minister's responsibilities in regard to biodiversity

•    Increases substantially monetary fines for contravention of the Wildlife Acts and introduces prison sentences in addition to those fines.

•    will ensure or strengthen compliance with international agreements and, in particular, enable ratification by Ireland of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds Agreement (AEWA)