Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 91: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the measures she intends to take to address the problems experienced by farmers in the Shannon callows, as a result of proposals which do not allow them to spilt their lands for grant aid purposes between REP scheme funding and funding allocated under the special areas of conservation and special protection area designation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37722/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The designation of land under the EU birds and habitats directives is a function of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. The question of compensation for farmers in the Shannon callows area is a matter, in the first instance, for that Department and I understand that discussions on the matter with the farming bodies have been going on for some time and are still continuing.

As far as REPS is concerned, arrangements are already in place designed specifically to address the situation of farmers in the Shannon callows. Farmers in this area who wish to join REPS, but believe that the REPS payments do not fully offset any income loss arising from the restrictions placed on their farming activities because of designation under the birds and habitats directives, may now also apply to the National Parks and Wildlife Service of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government for additional compensation. Before this arrangement was introduced in September 2004, such farmers had to choose between REPS and the compensation arrangements operated by NPWS but could not benefit from both.

This concession is additional to the inclusion of a new supplementary measure in REPS when REPS 3 was introduced in June 2004. Designated areas are already eligible for payments, under REPS measure A, of €242 per hectare for the first 40 hectares and lesser amounts for areas over 40 hectares and the new supplementary measure provides for an additional payment of €100 per hectare on particular sites in the callows, which are important corncrake habitats. Those sites are monitored by BirdWatch Ireland, and REPS farmers can qualify for the additional payment by subscribing to BirdWatch Ireland management prescriptions for them.

REPS is a highly successful agri-environment measure and is acknowledged as such by the European Commission. One of the features of REPS which the Commission has commended is the fact that the whole farm is subjected to the full range of basic undertakings. This model has served Irish farmers well since the introduction of REPS in 1994 and I see no reason to depart from the whole-farm approach to accommodate a situation which I believe has already been addressed adequately. However, I have recently started a consultation process with stakeholders on the next REP scheme, which will run from 2007 and it is open to any party to make suggestions relating to the Shannon callows as part of this process.