Written answers
Tuesday, 20 February 2007
Department of Agriculture and Food
Wildlife Conservation
10:00 am
Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 451: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason grant approval has not issued for a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary for the plantation of 100 acres. [6378/07]
Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The site in question is in an area which the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government has identified as one of a number of areas around the country which are important for the survival of the Hen Harrier, which is a protected species. The European Commission has expressed the gravest concern at any further planting within these areas until it is possible to fully assess the impact of forestry on the species. In order to do that, it is necessary to work out what type of management regime needs to be put in place to accommodate both forestry and the hen harrier in the areas being proposed as Special Protection Areas. The Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government has established a working group, on which the forestry and farming interests are represented, as well as my Department, to help with the development of such a management regime. The applications on hand will be looked at again when an appropriate regime for the hen harrier has been agreed.
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