Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 465: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if she will suspend a requirement (details supplied) as has been done in other areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7714/07]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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This situation relates to the implementation of the EU Wild Birds Directive and as such it is a matter in the first instance for the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. He has designated the Owenduff-Nephin Beg area of County Mayo, which includes the area in question, under both the Wild Birds and Habitats Directives.

The European Commission secured a Judgement against Ireland in the European Court of Justice in June 2002. The case, which was focused by the Commission on the Owenduff-Nephin Beg area, was taken under the Wild Birds Directive and was about the extent to which the habitat of the Red Grouse, an "Annexed" species under that Directive, was compromised by the overgrazing of sheep on commonage. The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government were the lead Department in responding to the Court proceedings.

Following the Court Judgement against Ireland, a reassessment of the commonage took place. This showed that the actions that had been taken to deal with the overgrazing, which involved partial destocking in 2002 under the Commonage Framework Plans, had not been enough to allow the habitat to regenerate. The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government was required to take further steps if Ireland was to avoid a large fine. His officials notified the European Commission and the farmers on the commonage of a requirement to take all sheep off the commonage for five months a year, made up of the months of November and December and the period from mid-February to mid-May. This arrangement took effect from 1 November 2006. Generous financial arrangements were put in place by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government for those farmers participating in the NPWS scheme and the REP scheme in the Owenduff-Nephin Beg area to compensate them for meeting these increased environmental standards.