Conservation in the Republic of Ireland

Conservation in the Republic of Ireland is overseen by a number of statutory and non-governmental agencies, including those with responsibility for conservation of the built environment and conservation of the natural environment in Ireland. Conservation has sometimes been a contentious issue, with debates impacting its progress since the 1960s.^[1]^[2] Concrete initiatives are sometimes driven by European Union (EU) heritage protection and environmental policies, including EU environmental law, which – as a member – the Irish government is obliged to adopt and implement.^[1]

Heritage conservation

Heritage conservation has been in place in Ireland since the formation as the state, with structures protected under local, national and international legislation.

National legislation

In the 1930s, a national policy was adopted in the form of the National Monuments Act, which established preservation orders, listed national monuments, and outlined standards, prohibitions, and regulations of archaeological objects.^[3] The National Monuments Service, an agency of the Office of Public Works, is responsible for National Monuments. As of 2020, the National Monuments Service had responsibility for the conservation of approximately 1,000 individual structures at over 760 different sites.^[4]

Local legislation

The Planning and Development Act 2000 establishes that each regional planning authority (administered by county and city councils in Ireland) is responsible for maintaining a Record of Protected Structures. These structures may be protected for conservation from an architectural, historical, archaeological, cultural, social or technical perspective. Owners or occupiers of a listed protected structure are obliged to prevent the structure from becoming endangered through damage or through neglect.^[5] As of 2020, the various Records of Protected Structures contained over 40,000 structures nationally.^[6]

International conventions

Ireland has been a member of UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, since 1961. As of 2020, there are two UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Republic of Ireland. These structures are in the Brú na Bóinne complex in County Meath and on Skellig Michael in County Kerry.^[7]

Non-government agencies

A number of non-government and voluntary organisations (including An Taisce (the National Trust for Ireland), the Dublin Civic Trust, the Irish Landmark Trust, and the Mining Heritage Trust of Ireland) undertake architectural conservation projects on a non-statutory basis.

Environmental conservation

Statutory protections

One of the earliest environmental conservation initiatives in Ireland involved the hosting of an international wildlife seminar in 1970, which was part of its contribution to the European Conservation Year. This seminar played a role in the creation of the Forest and Wildlife Service, which was created in response to the seminar's recommendation for a centralized conservation agency in Northern Ireland.^[8] One of the primary functions of the agency involves the identification of sites for conservation purposes.

As of the 21st century, government agencies with responsibility for the protection and conservation of the natural environment include the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Environmental Protection Agency, and National Parks and Wildlife Service.^[9] The Local Government (Planning and Development) Act 1963 also affords some responsibility for environmental protection to local authorities in Ireland, who can control development in areas "outstanding natural beauty and/or special recreational value" by designating them a "Special Amenity Area".^[10]^[11]

Voluntary organisations

Voluntary and non-governmental agencies undertaking environmental conservation projects in Ireland include the Bilberry Goat Trust, Irish Peatland Conservation Council, and Native Woodland Trust. A number of these organisations are members of the Irish Environmental Network.^[12]

References

^ ^a ^b Coakley, John; Gallagher, Michael (2005). Politics in Ireland. New York: Routledge. p. 452. ISBN 0415280664.
^ Norris, Michelle; Declan, Redmond (2005). Housing Contemporary Ireland: Policy, Society and Shelter. Dublin: Springer. p. 344. ISBN 1402056737.
^ Jameson, John; Eogan, James (2012). Training and Practice for Modern Day Archaeologists. New York: Springer. p. 203. ISBN 9781461455295.
^ "How many National Monuments are in State care?". archaeology.ie. National Monuments Service. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
^ "Protected Structures". citizensinformation.ie. Citizens Information Board. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
^ "Protected Structure Advice + Grants". dublincivictrust.ie. Dublin Civic Trust. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
^ "Ireland and UNESCO". dfa.ie. Department of Foreign Affairs (Ireland). 1 December 2020.
^ Hutchinson, Clive (2010). Birds in Ireland. Calton: T & AD Poyser. p. 37. ISBN 9781408137017.
^ "A-Z of who does what". epa.ie. Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
^ "Maximum protection from special amenity status". irishtimes.com. Irish Times. 8 June 1998. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
^ "Local Government (Planning and Development) Act, 1963". irishstatutebook.ie. Government of Ireland. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
^ "About". ien.ie. Irish Environmental Network. Retrieved 1 December 2020.

[:0-1] Coakley, John; Gallagher, Michael (2005). Politics in Ireland. New York: Routledge. p. 452. ISBN 0415280664.

[2] Norris, Michelle; Declan, Redmond (2005). Housing Contemporary Ireland: Policy, Society and Shelter. Dublin: Springer. p. 344. ISBN 1402056737.

[3] Jameson, John; Eogan, James (2012). Training and Practice for Modern Day Archaeologists. New York: Springer. p. 203. ISBN 9781461455295.

[4] "How many National Monuments are in State care?". archaeology.ie. National Monuments Service. Retrieved 1 December 2020.

[5] "Protected Structures". citizensinformation.ie. Citizens Information Board. Retrieved 1 December 2020.

[6] "Protected Structure Advice + Grants". dublincivictrust.ie. Dublin Civic Trust. Retrieved 1 December 2020.

[7] "Ireland and UNESCO". dfa.ie. Department of Foreign Affairs (Ireland). 1 December 2020.

[8] Hutchinson, Clive (2010). Birds in Ireland. Calton: T & AD Poyser. p. 37. ISBN 9781408137017.

[9] "A-Z of who does what". epa.ie. Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved 1 December 2020.

[10] "Maximum protection from special amenity status". irishtimes.com. Irish Times. 8 June 1998. Retrieved 8 August 2022.

[11] "Local Government (Planning and Development) Act, 1963". irishstatutebook.ie. Government of Ireland. Retrieved 8 August 2022.

[12] "About". ien.ie. Irish Environmental Network. Retrieved 1 December 2020.

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v t e Conservation of species
Index of conservation articles
Conservation biology	Biodiversity Captive breeding Compassionate conservation Conservation behavior Conservation-dependent species Conservation genetics Conservation-induced extinction Conservation status Endemism Ex-situ conservation Extinction threshold In-situ conservation Latent extinction risk Marine conservation Mutualisms and conservation Nature conservation Conservation biology of parasites Species translocation Conservation welfare Threatened species Vulnerability and susceptibility
Approaches	Conservation agriculture Conservation development Conservation finance Conservation grazing Conservation management system Conservation movement Conservation photography Conservation psychology Conspicuous conservation Community-based conservation Ecoregion conservation status Environmental protection Evidence-based conservation Flagship species Forest management Forest protection Tropical rainforest conservation Integrated Conservation and Development Project Other effective area-based conservation measures Riparian buffer Roadless area conservation Roadside conservation Site-based conservation Wetland conservation
Protected areas	Conservation designation Conservation district Conservation easement Conservation reserve Gap analysis Habitat conservation High conservation value area Landscape-scale conservation Marine protected area Marxan Open space reserve Wildlife corridor 30 by 30 target
Key issues	Conservation refugee Fortress conservation Habitat fragmentation Human–wildlife conflict
Restoration	Assisted natural regeneration Ecosystem restoration Island restoration Reforestation afforestation Rewilding marine Species reintroduction
By taxon	Arthropod Bird Hawaiian honeycreeper Raptor Golden eagle Fungi Land mammal American bison Arabian oryx Bear Polar bear Cheetah Elephant Indian elephant Slow loris Tiger Bengal Tiger Wolf Marine Dolphin Gray nurse shark Manatee Painted turtle Salmon Sea otter Plant Seed bank Cryopreservation
By country	Angola Australia Belize Brazil Canada Central African Republic Costa Rica Hong Kong Iceland India Indonesia Ireland Italy Malaysia Mauritius Namibia New Zealand Pakistan Papua New Guinea South Sudan Sweden Uganda United Kingdom Scotland United States forests
Related	Conservation officer De-extinction Planetary boundaries IUCN Red List NatureServe conservation status Special Area of Conservation Soil conservation
List of conservation issues List of organisations List of people Category

v t e World Heritage Sites in Ireland
Brú na Bóinne	Dowth Knowth Newgrange Monknewton Newgrange cursus Townleyhall passage grave
Others	Skellig Michael
Tentative list	The Burren The Historic City of Dublin The Céide Fields and North West Mayo Boglands Western Stone Forts The Monastic City of Clonmacnoise and its Cultural Landscape Early Medieval Monastic Sites (Clonmacnoise, Durrow, Glendalough, Inis Cealtra, Kells, and Monasterboice) The Royal Sites of Ireland: (Cashel, Dún Ailinne, the Hill of Uisneach, the Rathcroghan Complex, and the Tara Complex)