Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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Question 16: To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if the level of grant aid available to farmers to assist in the preservation of corncrakes in meadows will be increased to make it viable for farmers to protect these endangered birds, especially as there are so few cases involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21596/11]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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My Department runs a number of schemes that provide payments to farmers for prescribed, targeted actions to benefit the Corncrake in areas where it breeds, notably the north Donegal coast, west Connacht and the Shannon Callows.

These include seasonal schemes to protect birds already arrived on farmland, as well as long term schemes incorporating habitat creation and management.

The Corncrake Grant Scheme pays landowners to delay mowing or grazing where nesting corncrakes have been located. The National Parks and Wildlife Service Farm Plan Scheme pays farmers based in the Shannon Callows to maintain meadows suitable for the breeding requirements of the corncrake. A new pilot scheme is being proposed on the Mullet Peninsula in Mayo and the North Coast of Donegal, designed to help maintain or restore the favourable conservation status of these Special Protection Areas (SPAs). Furthermore, the NPWS leases land under Conacre to facilitate longer term management where corncrakes have been present in recent years.

The current payments offer good value to the farmer and the schemes have a high rate of take up in the relevant areas.