Martin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein)
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The documentation I received from the witnesses includes a document on compensation for land owners prepared by John Dore, who is an agricultural economist and valuer. He suggests farmers would be willing to accept €698 per hectare from the National Parks and Wildlife Service for a period of 15 years as compensation for the devaluation of land as a consequence of what has happened. Has this been negotiated with the Department or with the Minister? I understand the witnesses were recently in Europe. Did they have this conversation there and what feedback have they received?

It is obvious that something must be done to sort out this if we are to have justice for people whose land effectively has been sterilised and made valueless as a consequence of what was done, who have no avenue from which to make anything from the land, and who are not being compensated for being a facilitator for the hen harrier.

Mr. Fitzgerald also mentioned that the hen harrier population in the special protection areas has declined, compared to adjoining lands or other lands used for a different purpose. Was this report done by the witnesses or is it based on scientific analysis?