Sir, - Denis Staunton (The Irish Times, January 19th) informs us that the European Commission has brought Ireland to the European Court of Justice over failures to protect endangered plants and animals, specifically by not providing the Commission with a sufficient list of Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) as required under the Habitats Directive, 1992. He notes that the Irish Government has spent a great deal of time and effort reconciling the need to take account of economic, social and cultural requirements and regional characteristics with the goal of conservation. However, the European Court of Justice has ruled that member-states cannot take these issues into account when deciding which sites to propose to the Commission as special areas of conservation or when defining the boundaries of those sites. An exhaustive list of sites which qualify on scientific grounds must be proposed to the commission.To date the Irish Government has proposed a total of 317 sites as SACs to the Commission. A recent joint report by five major Irish NGOs has identified an additional 428 sites which qualify and must also be proposed. The Irish Government is wasting a great deal of time and effort dragging its heels on this important issue. It should stop arguing with the Commission and get on with the job of protecting the few remaining wild areas we have left in Ireland. - Yours, etc.Paul Galvin, Senior Conservation Officer, BirdWatch Ireland, Longford Place, Monkstown, Co Dublin