Áine Collins (Cork North West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for her reply in regard to the birds being recognised as an endangered species. Nobody has a problem with that. The farmers' issue is that if their land is designated as protected, they should be compensated.

I am glad to hear the threat response steering group has already met twice and that the Minister has agreed to appoint somebody from a SPA to it. Would she ensure the appointee is a member of the group that is representing the hen harriers, such as the one I mentioned, the IFLD group? This group has come together in the past 12 months to work diligently on the hen harrier issue and they are seriously affected. I know a young farmer in his 30s with 100 acres of land, which he wanted to sell to buy farmland in a better area, that is now worthless to him. There is an issue under contract law, given the State has rendered farmers' land worthless.

I appreciate that the issue is not of the Minister's making but was brought in under the previous Administration in 2007. Although compensation was offered at the time, it is no longer available. We are left with a legacy which affects 3,800 families and the future of those farms. Unfortunately, some of the other farming groups feel this land is of no value because sometimes it is in upland areas, which might be wet. However, many good families have come from these lands and have farmed them very well to the best of their abilities and survived and grown, and they now want to expand. All I ask is for a commitment that the member appointed to the consultants' group will be a member of IFDL. I would appreciate it very much. I thank the Minister for taking this matter.

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