Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)

I thank the Minister of State for his response. Is it not the case that until last month the three-month period for appeal was not enforced by the Department and farmers continued to have the opportunity to make appeals to the Department, and that such facility has been withdrawn as and from a decision by the Minister of State last month? Is it not the case that the Minister of State has introduced new notification procedures because the previous notification procedures were wholly inadequate? For example, I received a telephone call last week from a farmer who applied for planning permission on his land but was refused because his lands were designated as an SAC. He was not aware that was the case, even though the SACs were designated three years ago, until he received the refusal from the local authority. He cannot appeal that designation because that window of opportunity is not open to him. Is there not an onus on the Department, first, to notify farmers directly rather than by publishing advertisements in the newspapers and, second, to explain to farmers what the designation means?

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