Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. The hen harrier is an endangered species protected under EU nature directives. The objective of the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht is to ensure that important species are protected while ensuring in parallel that the work of farmers and other landowners in managing the habitats which support these species is recognised. Hen harrier protection was a major issue in the judgment of the European Court of Justice of the EU in 2007 against Ireland in what is known as the "birds case" for failure to provide adequate protection for wild birds. As a result of the judgment, Ireland designated six special protection areas, or SPAs, for the conservation of this species. The case remains open with the continuing possibility of reputational damage and substantial fines being imposed on Ireland if we are not seen to be in compliance with the judgment. Hen harrier SPAs are at risk due to a number of factors, including the reclamation of upland open habitats for agriculture, the development of wind farms and the maturing of large-scale forests planted in upland areas. These activities have a serious impact on breeding populations of birds. According to the most recent survey in 2010, there are between 128 to 172 hen harrier breeding pairs. Agricultural reclamation of heath or bog is restricted in these SPAs as it removes nesting and foraging habitat for the species.

The Government is working hard in the wake of the birds case to develop a threat response plan for hen harriers. An inter-departmental steering group has been established to draw up the plan and it comprises representatives from my own Department, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, and the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. The steering group will examine all of the issues at hand, including forestry consents, planning permissions for wind farms and financial supports for farmers with a view to determining the appropriate course of further action. The steering group has met on two occasions to date and will continue its important work over the next number of months.

The members of the steering group were asked to nominate relevant stakeholders to form part of a consultative committee to include broader representation from sectors likely to be affected by the plan. Through the consultative committee, the views of those affected will be sought and incorporated into the work of the steering group. The composition of the consultative committee is still under consideration and my Department has had a number of further requests in relation to its composition. It is my intention that the committee will include a farmer or farmers with lands designated as a special protection area for the hen harrier. It is expected that the first meeting of the consultative committee will be convened soon.

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