European Union Habitats (Wicklow Reef Special Area of Conservation 002274) Regulations 2016 (S.I. No. 104 of 2016).

These Regulations designate an area as a Special Areas of Conservation in accordance with Article 4 of European Union’s Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC), which designates sites as Special Areas of Conservation in order to create a coherent European ecological network. The Regulations, among other things: specify in Schedule 3 natural habitat types for purposes of the Directive (reefs); list in Schedule 4 activities that have potential to cause disturbance or damage to the natural habitat types and animal and plant species specified in Schedule 3 and that require consent; provide that contravention of the provisions of these Regulations shall constitute an offence.