Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the suggestion in respect of afforestation because much of the land in question - the Minister of State is familiar with the quality of the land to which I refer - is suitable for very little other than afforestation. Moreover, given the habitat in which the bird apparently wishes to reside, it has picked what probably is some of the most disadvantaged land in which to have its habitat. In itself, this has had a double complicating factor because if, for arguments sake, one must cut rushes to draw down a single farm payment from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine but at the same time the National Parks and Wildlife Service states one cannot cut rushes because of the hen harrier's habitat, one has a cross-compliance issue straight away. These farmers are caught between the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, the National Parks and Wildlife Service, the wind energy sector and the Forest Service. They are stuck in limbo at present and while I acknowledge that a threat response plan is being developed, there has been a succession of public meetings on this issue. Both landowners and farmers seek a working group that encompasses the farming representatives, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht as well as all the other vested interests.

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