The four designations
| Designation | Protects | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|
| Special Area of Conservation (SAC) | Habitats and species listed in the EU Habitats Directive: bogs, dunes, rivers, otters, freshwater pearl mussel and more | EU Habitats Directive |
| Special Protection Area (SPA) | Birds, especially rare and migratory species, and their wetlands | EU Birds Directive |
| Natural Heritage Area (NHA) | Nationally important sites, mostly raised and blanket bogs | Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000 |
| Proposed NHA (pNHA) | Sites published in 1995 but not yet formally designated | Recognised in development plans and planning decisions |
SACs and SPAs together make up Ireland's part of the EU's Natura 2000 network, often called "European sites".
Appropriate Assessment
Under Article 6(3) of the Habitats Directive, any plan or project that could have a significant effect on a European site must be screened. If a significant effect can't be ruled out, a full Appropriate Assessment follows, usually with a Natura Impact Statement prepared by an ecologist. Permission can only be granted if the project won't harm the integrity of the site.
Distance alone doesn't settle it. A site several kilometres away can still be connected to a European site through a river, groundwater, or birds that feed on its fields, so effects travel along those pathways. A septic tank draining to a stream that flows into an SAC river is a classic example.
What it can't tell you
- Whether Appropriate Assessment screening is needed. Being outside 2 km is a starting point, not a clearance; the council or an ecologist decides based on the pathways above.
- Protected species outside designated sites, such as bats in an old building or badger setts, are protected too. See species records.
Sources
- National Parks and Wildlife Service: Designated Areas (SAC, SPA, NHA, pNHA), npws.ie
- EU Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) and Birds Directive (2009/147/EC)
Last reviewed 2026-10-02.