Mr. Jason Fitzgerald:

Ideally, if we were starting from scratch, we would prefer if there were a separate hen harrier scheme similar to what previously existed. The difference is that previously, the information we received said that afforestation would be generally permitted. We have plenty of documentation about approvals that ran out where, in general, forestry would be permitted on these grounds. However, this GLAS scheme was announced earlier this year and it has been approved by the European Commission, as has the rural development plan. A letter which we received from the Minister, Deputy Coveney, stated that there was a further fund of €70 million available through the local environmental scheme. We suggested that this was probably our best way of getting further compensation. That is why we came up with this figure of €150 on the first 13 hectares, as these farmers are not getting anything extra for the land being designated. Under the old REPS, there was a top-up for a farmer in the scheme who had hen harrier designated land. That would bring a payment up to €520 for the first 13 hectares and then €370 a hectare thereafter. We see that as being very fair and reasonable but one solution on its own will never sort out this issue when forestry has been taken out of the picture.

To replace that issue would require something like a tax credit or the possibility of a farmer who might want to sell a portion of his land for forestry. This could arise if the farmer was elderly or sick, a farmer who might need to sell a portion of his ground or who might want to sell all his farm, who might want to help set up one of his children in a business or thereafter. One solution on its own will not resolve it but we believe that if there was an improved scheme with a system whereby a farmer could swap parcels of eligible ground for forestry, with non-productive Coillte ground. In addition, there is the possibility, as the Minister suggested at a meeting, that one could then also look at the tax credit system for people who did not want to farm or who did not want to go into forestry. At the moment and previously, the only option is forestry if a farmer wants to sell land. A lot of people who did not really want to forest their land would have preferred to sell it. As things stand, it is creating a demand for forestry applications, whereas if they had another alternative perhaps the people who really needed to plant their land could avail of any permitted afforestation.