Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 753: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, further to a meeting in June 2005 with the Irish Farmers' Association, when his Department will issue compensation to farmers with lands in the Shannon Callows; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32591/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The meeting in June 2005 was one of numerous meetings that have taken place between officials from my Department and the Department of Agriculture and Food with farming representatives. The purpose of those meetings was to agree management prescriptions for habitats of birds in the Shannon Callows special protection area and to assess losses and costs to landowners arising from the implementation of those 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 the implementation of the necessary management prescriptions. While it has not yet proved possible to resolve those matters fully, my Department is maintaining contact with the Department of Agriculture and Food and farming representatives to see how agreement might be finalised.