Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 350: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason a deal negotiated between her Department, the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and local farmers in the Shannon Callows area in County Galway was not proceeded with; her views on the fact that in order to preserve the corncrake, farmers will not alone have to take a massive reduction in the profits of the area specified for the corncrake but as a consequence of this development will also stand to lose substantial income from the rest of their farmland; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that there are only about 6,000 hectares involved in this highly sensitive scientific area of conservation; her further views on whether farmers will be adequately compensated for managing and farming such important areas of conservation; the deal she had on the table with the farmers concerned; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28197/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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No deal was negotiated between my Department, the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the farming organisations about compensation for farmers in the Shannon Callows. The question of compensation for those farmers is a matter, in the first instance, for the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and I understand that discussions on the matter with the farming bodies have been going on for some time and are continuing.