EU Regulation on Invasive Alien Species

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Some of the core provisions of EU Regulation 1143/2014 which deal with, among other things, bringing into the territory of the Union, keeping, breeding, transporting and placing on the market, species included on the list of invasive alien species of Union concern ( the “Union list” ) come into force on the 3rd August, 2016.

The first “Union list” of 37 species consisting of 23 animals and 14 plants came into force, following the publication of the Commission Implementing Regulation (2016/1141), in the Official Journal of the Union on the 14 July, 2016.

(Since 2016), legislation is being prepared in Ireland to deal with issues, such as penalties for breaches of the Regulation, which are a matter for each Member State

Enquiries on the Regulation should be sent to biodiversitypolicy@ahg.gov.ie

The ‘Union list’ comprises species whose potential adverse impacts across the European Union are such that concerted action across Member States is required:


PLANTS
American skunk cabbage Lysichiton americanus
Asiatic tearthumb Persicaria perfoliata (Polygonum perfoliatum)
Curly waterweed Lagarosiphon major
Eastern Baccharis Baccharis halimifolia
Floating pennywort Hydrocotyle ranunculoides
Floating primrose willow Ludwigia peploides
Green cabomba Cabomba caroliniana
Kudzu vine Pueraria lobata
Parrot’s feather Myriophyllum aquaticum
Persian hogweed Heracleum persicum
Sosnowski’s hogweed Heracleum sosnowskyi
Water hyacinth Eichhornia crassipes
Water primrose Ludwigia grandiflora
Whitetop weed Parthenium hysterophorus


ANIMALS
Amur sleeper Perccottus glenii
Asian hornet Vespa velutina
Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis
Coypu Myocastor coypus
Fox squirrel Sciurus niger
Grey squirrel Sciurus carolinensis
Indian house crow Corvus splendens
Marbled crayfish Procambarus spp.
Muntjac deer Muntiacus reevesii
North american bullfrog Lithobates (Rana) catesbeianus
Pallas’s squirrel Callosciurus erythraeus
Raccoon Procyon lotor
Red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii
Red-eared terrapin/slider Trachemys scripta elegans
Ruddy duck Oxyura jamaicensis
Sacred ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus
Siberian chipmunk Tamias sibiricus
Signal crayfish Pacifastacus leniusculus
Small Asian mongoose Herpestes javanicus
South American coati Nasua nasua
Spiny-cheek crayfish Orconectes limosus
Topmouth gudgeon Pseudorasbora parva
Virile crayfish Orconectes virilis

FAQs

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Note:

NPWS are to finalise legislation for the implementation of the EU IAS Regulation
NPWS are to prepare draft management plans and priority pathway action plans for priority invasive species.

Bord na Mona Tender: Selection of Pipework Suppliers for the Peatlands Climate Action Scheme

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RFT 209642 – MH – MH 11/03/22

This is the first of a two stage process – Stage 1 a PQQ (Prequalification Questionnaire) to determine if suppliers qualify and Stage 2 an ITT (Invitation to Tender) for qualified suppliers.

Note: Bord na Mona tender split into two stages, which prevents public disclosure to details on drainage pipes required

https://irl.eu-supply.com/app/rfq/rwlproposal_s.asp?PID=209338

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Multi-Annual Developer Provided Water Services Infrastructure Resolution Programme

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September 2020

  • allocations totalling over €3.56 million made for 26 estates across 10 counties
  • almost 950 households

The programme is focused on housing estates which are not taken-in-charge by local authorities and do not have their water services connected to the public water services network but rely instead on infrastructure, often temporary in nature, which was provided by developers.

Much of this infrastructure, generally consisting of small standalone wastewater treatment “package” plants were put in place in the 1990’s and early 2000’s.

Following consideration by an Expert Panel, the Minister approved funding allocations amounting to just under €3.36 million to 10 local authorities to resolve 26 housing estates providing water services to almost 950 homes.

The focus of this first multi annual programme is on estates in towns and villages where the resolution is to connect their water services to the public networks.

The programme will also support a number of pilot projects where connection is not feasible in the immediate future.

These pilot projects, together with a major study to be under taken by Irish Water, will inform future policy on resolving sub-standard developer provided infrastructure in such areas.

List of projects

https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/6c8ac-minister-obrien-announces-capital-funding-under-the-multi-annual-developer-provided-water-services-infrastructure-resolution-programme/

National Bathing Water Expert Group

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Advises Minister on the implementation of the regulations, and collaborates on addressing significant issues as they arise.

The current membership of the group includes:

– Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, (Chair)

– the Health Service Executive,

– the Environmental Protection Agency,

– Water Safety Ireland,

– An Taisce,

– Coastwatch,

– Local Authorities, and

– Irish Water.

The key functions of the Bathing Water Expert Group are as follows:

– Advise Minister on matters relating to bathing water protection policy;

– Advise the relevant implementation bodies regarding the implementation of the Bathing Water Directive in Ireland;

– Develop guidance for the implementation of the Bathing Water Directive;

– Evaluate priority actions critical to delivering Ireland’s obligations under the Bathing Water Directive; and

– to provide a national view with respect to developments relating to the Bathing Water Directive and feed this through to the EU Commission and the EU Bathing Water Expert Group.

AIE: members, agendas/minutes (2021-22)

Register of Protected Areas – Nutrient Sensitive Areas

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These nutrient sensitive areas are those waterbodies listed in accordance with the Urban Waste Water Treatment (UWWT) Directive 91/271/EEC on Urban Waste Water Treatment and S.I. 254 / 2001, S.I. 440/2004 and S.I. 48/2010. The waterbody containing the sensitive area is used to represent the nutrient sensitive area.

https://data.gov.ie/dataset/register-of-protected-areas-nutrient-sensitive-areas

Combined Storm Overflows

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Combined storm overflows are designed to release excess storm water into rivers and seas when a prolonged rainfall occurs.

This helps prevent the risk of sewage backing up, preventing homes and public spaces being flooded by allowing a controlled release.

Storm Water Overflows from sewerage systems are regulated by the EPA’s discharge authorisation regime

Irish Water are required to report on storm water overflow performance to the EPA

Over half (54%) of the combined sewage loading that arises in large urban areas in Ireland is discharged from plants that are not meeting the mandatory European Union standards.

“In practice, many combined sewers are now carrying considerably more load than they were designed for and overflow in relatively minor rainfall events. The overflow of, admittedly dilute, foul sewage to a watercourse has obvious pollution implications“

Not much on EPA or IW websites in relation to CSOs

https://search.epa.ie/s/search.html?query=Combined+Storm+Overflows&collection=epa-2021-search

https://www.water.ie/search/?query=Combined+Storm+Overflows

Woodland for Water Scheme

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This document explores how new native woodland and undisturbed water setbacks can be used in combination to deliver meaningful ecosystem services that protect and enhance water quality and aquatic ecosystems. This ‘Woodland for Water’ measure can be realised using the existing Native Woodland Establishment Scheme (NWS Establishment), available from the Department of Agriculture, Food & the Marine (DAFM).


This measure can be used alongside streams, rivers and lakes to form permanent semi-natural landscape features that will protect and enhance water quality and aquatic habitats into the future. Where basic site requirements are met, the DAFM perceives widespread potential for this measure, from upper to lower catchments and in relation to various land uses.


The Woodland for Water measure operates alongside other water protection measures applied by the DAFM throughout its regulatory and promotional role, as part of its responsibilities under the second cycle of the Water Framework Directive (WFD).

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Woodland Creation on Public Lands Scheme

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This Scheme aims to encourage Public Bodies to establish new native woodlands on suitable bare land

The Scheme is aimed at all Public Bodies, including:

i). Government Departments and State Sponsored Organisations

ii). Higher Education Authorities and

iii). Local Authorities

https://www.gov.ie/en/service/4b0e6-creation-of-woodland-on-public-lands-scheme/

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Continuous Cover Forestry Scheme

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The Continuous Cover Forestry Scheme provides financial support to help forest owners manage their woodland in a way that opens up the canopy and creates new habitats for wildlife. The scheme helps to create an uneven canopy structure with the aim of producing high quality, high value logs.

These objectives are met through:

  • improvement felling of poorer quality trees
  • felling of additional trees to release potential frame trees
  • pruning to improve stem quality
  • thinning or re-spacing to promote growth and management and re-spacing of natural regeneration

Continuous Cover Forestry is an alternative forest management approach where the forest canopy is maintained at one or more levels without clearfelling. The distinctive element of Continuous Cover Forestry is the avoidance of clearfelling areas greater than 0.25 ha, or more than two tree heights wide without the retention of some mature trees.

https://www.gov.ie/en/service/d54212-woodland-improvement-scheme/#what-the-continuous-cover-forestry-scheme-is

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