Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

That is actively happening. As part of the threat response plan being led and managed by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht through the National Parks and Wildlife Service, there is an assessment of whether the measures that have been put in place to protect the hen harrier have worked to date and to determine what lessons can be learned in terms of future protections. We are making the case strongly that we need to show more flexibility in relation to forestry and afforestation. There are ways to facilitate limited forestry in certain parts of those designated lands within reason if we can show that it will not interfere with or upset the habitat of the bird. That is what we are attempting to do. The threat response plan is taking some time and some people have grown frustrated with the process. As such, we have asked if we can look at the forestry elements of it as a priority, separate to the overall threat response plan, to fast-track decisions on afforestation. We are trying to have as complete a response as possible here. First, we want very strong financial supports in terms of the designation and the conditions around them. Second, we want farmers to get a commercial income where reasonable from their lands, whether through farming or afforestation. We will come back to the Deputy when we have a conclusion on that.

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