About 80 per cent of Connemara could be affected by forthcoming decisions in Dublin and Brussels about setting out so-called Special Areas of Conservation (SACs).
These decisions are highly sensitive in the west of Ireland and many other areas because certain economic activities are restricted under the SAC designation, which provides for compensation for landowners affected.
All designations are subject to informal and formal appeals, through an appeals advisory board chaired by the former ombudsman, Mr Michael Mills.
However, environmentalists have expressed concern about the tendency towards informal objections, and there is a perception that boundaries in some areas are being changed to suit developers, farmers, tourism interests and other interest groups.
The Minister of State for Arts, Heritage, the Gaeltacht and the Islands, Mr Eamon O Cuiv, in whose constituency many of the sensitive areas are situated, has indicated that the bulk of the problems have been overcome. He said that the Government is now confident of averting possible European court action over its failure to submit a final list of Special Areas of Conservation. Some 99 per cent of the complete national list will be with Brussels by the summer.
Last year 39 sites, ranging from Donegal's Muckish Mountain to the estuary at Courtmacsherry in Co Cork were transmitted to the European Commission under the EU Habitats Directive. However, another 161 areas are still disputed and subject to appeal.
Turf-cutting is one of the more contentious issues. Following Mr O Cuiv's intervention, it was agreed that people cutting turf for domestic use could continue for up to 10 years, but the use of so-called "sausage machines" would be banned.
Last week, the Minister for Arts, Heritage, the Gaeltacht and the Islands, Ms de Valera, announced regulations for turf-cutting on blanket bogs - a sequel to the arrangements for raised bogs. Areas that had already been severely damaged would be excluded from proposed SACs, she said.
A second list of designated sites has now been submitted to the European Commission, and a third is due to be sent shortly. The nine sites in this second tranche comprise a total of 1,803 hectares.
They have been named as: Inagh river estuary, Co Clare; Malahide estuary, Co Dublin; Fortwilliam turlough, Co Longford; Lisduff turlough, Co Roscommon; Ridge Road, southwest of Rapemills, Co Offaly; the Long Derries, Co Offaly; Kilduff in Devilsbit Mountain, Co Tipperary; Rye Water valley and Carton in Cos Kildare and Meath and the Split hills and Long Hill esker, Co Westmeath.
A draft third list comprises 18 sites, as follows: Killyconny raised bog in Cos Cavan and Meath; Pollagoona blanket bog, Co Clare; Mullaghanish blanket bog in Cos Cork and Kerry; Ballintra, Co Donegal; Inis Meain island, Co Galway; Barroughter raised bog, Co Galway; Levally lough, Co Galway; Sheheree (Ardagh bog), Co Kerry; Carrowkeel turlough, Co Mayo; Lough Gall blanket bog, Co Mayo; Slieve Fyagh blanket bog, Co Mayo; Tawnaghbeg raised bog, Co Mayo; Ferbane raised bog, Co Offaly; Moyclare raised bog, Co Offaly; Cloonchambers raised bog, Co Roscommon; Castlesampson esker, Co Roscommon; Derryclogher (Knockboy) blanket bog, Co Cork, and Carrowmore dunes, Co Clare.
