Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his response. I have consistently said that the upcoming agri-environment scheme is going to be one of the key measures in tackling biodiversity loss and turning that tide. The Minister gave a good outline of the scheme and its fundamentals are good, particularly the eight co-operation areas. It is so important that within those co-operation areas there are targeted schemes for bespoke measures that will specifically tackle declining populations of wading birds and farmland birds.

There are enormous opportunities with the so-called menu A measures for those farms that are not within the co-operation areas. Farmers, many of whom are GLAS participants, may be able to avail of the menu A measures, including tree and hedgerow planting, mixed species sward planting and so on. Where there is evidence of breeding wading species like red shank, snipe, curlew, dunlin, and so on, farmers should be able to avail of an extra payment for those targeted measures. That is key and will mean fantastic results for the farmer and for biodiversity.

See this speech in context