Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 410: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the reason a deal negotiated between his Department, the Department of Agriculture and Food and local farmers in the Shannon Callows area in County Galway was not proceeded with; his 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 for the rest of their farmland; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there are only about 6,000 hectares involved in this highly sensitive scientific area of conservation; his further views on whether farmers will be adequately compensated for managing and farming such important areas of conservation; and the deal he had on the table with the farmers concerned. [28200/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Shannon Callows special protection area for birds is approximately 6,000 hectares in area and comprises three main habitat types, corncrake habitat, wet grassland, and wet grassland with waders. Numerous meetings between officials from my Department, the Department of Agriculture and Food and farming representatives have taken place seeking to agree management prescriptions for these habitats and to assess losses and costs to landowners arising from the implementation of these prescriptions. Agreement would allow farmers, other than those who opt for the REP scheme, to be compensated by my Department for actual costs and losses arising from implementation of the necessary management prescriptions.

While it has not yet proved possible to resolve these matters fully, my Department is maintaining contact with the Department of Agriculture and Food and farming representatives to see how agreement might be finalised.