Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 243: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the reasons for farmers being obliged to remove all sheep from the Nephin Beg Range, County Mayo for a six month period each year; the surveys carried out regarding recovery from erosion of soil as a consequence of destocking over the past five years; the progress achieved in soil recovery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8613/06]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Overgrazing has led to environmental problems, particularly loss of vegetation and soil erosion in commonages throughout the country, including the Nephin Beg range.

Payments to farmers for destocking under commonage framework plans, were introduced from end of 1998 as an attempt to aid vegetation recovery in these areas. A recent monitoring survey in this area, carried out as part of an intended wider monitoring of commonages, has shown that, apart from some small areas, there has not been satisfactory recovery of the habitat vegetation.

Accordingly, it is necessary to amend the requirements for this commonage by providing that it should be destocked completely for five months of the year — November-December, and mid-February to mid-May. Further monitoring will, of course, be carried out to check the rate of recovery.

The above developments are also being communicated to the European Commission in the context of Ireland's response to the European Court of Justice judgment against Ireland on the issue of overgrazing in the Owenduff-Nephin Beg area.