Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent)
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9. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the processes that are in place for farmers, part of whose holding has recently been included as an ACRES co-operation area on the basis that it is a habitat conducive to breeding hen harriers, who believe the lands in question are not a suitable habitat for hen harriers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11783/23]

Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent)
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What processes are in place for farmers, part of whose holdings have recently been included in the agri-climate rural environment scheme, ACRES, co-operation area on the basis that it is a habitat conducive to breeding hen harriers, if they believe or it is evident that the land in question is not suitable habitat for hen harriers?

Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Senator Pippa Hackett):

ACRES is the central agri-environment climate measure in Ireland's Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan 2023-2027. It is a flagship agri-environmental scheme and it is intended that it will pay farmers €1.5 billion over the lifetime of the scheme. ACRES will play a huge role in terms of driving environmental improvements. It is the largest amount ever committed to an agri-environment scheme. I am delighted to see that so many farmers applied for ACRES, indicating their willingness to farm for the benefit of the environment and society. The submission of more than 46,000 applications shows the level of interest in participating in agri-environment schemes. The scheme forms part of Ireland's CAP strategic plan, which is the successor to the outgoing green, low-carbon agri-environment scheme, GLAS.

On 1 March, the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, confirmed that all applicants who had submitted valid applications will be accepted to ACRES. Farmers should start to receive their approval letters this week. For those participants in the co-operation, CP, stream, CP teams will begin applying the appropriate scorecards to participants' holdings. The CP teams will use their knowledge of the land in the CP zones to assign a scorecard based on the habitat types found on farmers' lands. Ten scorecards have been developed by the Department and the CP teams. The majority of these, such as rough grazing, peatland, or grassland will have a broad application across the CP zones. Other scorecards are more specific, for example, the chough or Burren winterage scorecards. There is no scorecard specific to the hen harrier. The CP teams will use their expertise to apply the most appropriate scorecard to the habitat found. The key is to manage the land to improve the score achieved, which will have the benefit of enhancing the habitat for a range of species, and for the benefit of the wider environment. CP teams will work with farmers to help them to improve their land's score. This can be done by the careful application of non-productive investments, NPIs, and landscape actions, LAs. My Department is developing a list of NPIs and LAs that farmers can decide to carry out on their lands, mindful of the right action in the right place. Participants will work with CP teams and their advisers to choose the best action to improve their land and to address any issues that may be found.

Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent)
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I thank the Minister of State for her reply, but she did not answer my question. Is there an appeals process if for someone whose land has been put into a co-operation area on the basis that it is suitable for the breeding of hen harriers and who believes it is not suitable? There is a lot of land in the Slieve Aughty range and on Slieve Bernagh, where it is proposed to build a wind farm, that is suitable for hen harrier breeding. However, there is land in various parts of Tulla and right across the foothills of the Slieve Aughty range that is suitable but there is also land that is not suitable. There was an appeals process when the designations were made for the special area of conservation, SAC. I accept that this is not an SAC; it is just an inclusion in a co-operation area. If the land is manifestly unsuitable, however, then surely there should be an appeals process. Otherwise, we are just wasting time. The Minister of State referred to flagship projects. There is a Ukrainian flag on Leinster Lawn today. These flagship projects will benefit the environment every bit as much as the Ukrainian flag on Leinster Lawn will benefit the morale of Ukrainian fighters in Bakhmut today. We love a bit of tokenism. The Government especially loves it, and the powers that be more broadly in this House, but sometimes we have to deal with realities too.

Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Senator Pippa Hackett):

I do not know the details of the specific case referred to by the Deputy, but an appeals process should be available. I do not know, but I assume it would be in the case of any concerns or dissatisfaction regarding the result from the Department.

Many farmers wish their lands were in CP zones because of the higher payment rates involved. It is a collective approach in those areas to improve the habitat and the land. The ultimate aim of the CP projects is to put the needs of the land and the landscape first. We have seen how well that has worked in European innovation projects, EIPs, across the country in the past five or six years. This is an extension of that. If the Deputy's client is not happy with the situation-----

Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent)
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Constituent.

Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Senator Pippa Hackett):

----- or however you want to describe it, that person should reach out to the Department. On the whole, however, if the CP team has designated the inclusion of the land in an area, then that is the area they are in.

Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent)
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I accept the Minister of State's acknowledgement that fairness would require that there should be an appeals process, but my question relates to what the appeals process involves. I have not received an answer to that question. We will take it that there should be one, and we will proceed from there. It is an acknowledgement on behalf of the Department that there should be an appeals process. If there is not an appeals process, I take it that one will be developed forthwith on the basis of what the Minister of State has said.

The Minister of State is correct. There are many farmers who would like to be in co-operation areas who are not but, equally, there are farmers whose lands have been designated for a purpose for which it is manifestly unsuited. There is a lot of criticism of farming by calendar. We are experiencing unseasonable weather. It is not unusual to have snow at this time of year. We had an exceptionally mild winter and suddenly we seem to be getting a winter weather in the spring. Farming by electoral area does not really work either. We must look at what is actually on the ground in order to designate areas. I agree with this particular constituent of mine who came to me that the lands in question are simply unsuitable for hen harriers. I wish there was more land across County Clare suitable for the hen harrier breeding, but his land is not suitable.

Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Senator Pippa Hackett):

I will seek information on an appeals process and convey it to the Deputy. From his constituent's perspective, decisions are made by the CP teams. That is how the process in this regard has been set up. They are the experts. They are the people who identify lands. There appears to be a standoff as to whether the land in question is suitable. I think the Deputy's constituent would be happy for his land to be included in a CP area. Many farmers wish that their land were included. I will look into the situation for the Deputy and revert to him with the details.

Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent)
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It would be helpful sometimes to look into a situation before a decision is made rather than afterwards, but I appreciate the Minister of State's response.