Under Section 21 of the Wildlife Act, an Order was made in 2022, entitled Flora (Protection) Order, declaring certain plants to be protected throughout the State. Under Section 21 it is an offence for a person to cut, pick, uproot or otherwise take, purchase, sell or be in possession of any plant whether whole or part, of a species mentioned in the Order, or wilfully to alter, damage, destroy or interfere with the habitat of such a species, except under licence of the Minister, and then strictly for Scientific, Educational or other such purposes.
Application forms are available to download at the following link: Licence to Take / Interfere with Plant Species
Once complete, return the form to wildlifelicence@npws.gov.ie
Applications for licences are forwarded for recommendation to NPWS Research Staff. In the absence of any viable alternative, licences are granted where no significant damage will be caused to the conservation status of the species and where the adverse impact on the local population of species is kept to a minimum. Applications will only be considered if a licence is required for Scientific, Educational or other such purposes.