Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I previously raised the plight of farmers who farm in designated areas and whose farming practices are, therefore, restricted. Previously, they were compensated for that through the BurrenLife scheme in the case of the Burren and the hen harrier project in the Slieve Aughty Mountains. That has been abolished. They were told to go through the agri-climate rural environment scheme, ACRES. In theory, they get more money through ACRES. They can get a maximum of €10,000 and farmers not in designated areas get a maximum of €7,000. The difference is the €3,000 is a partial reimbursement of moneys already expended. The reality is they are worse off now than they were, under a Government which claims to take the environment seriously. It is a scheme designed by civil servants for civil servants, not for farmers or the environment but for ease of administration. The Tánaiste said the fact they were worse-off was not good enough when I raised it with him when he was the Taoiseach. Nothing has changed since then. Will something change?

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