Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht his plans to invest additional funding in the development of the high nature value farming programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42027/12]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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The identification, monitoring and support of High Nature Value (HNV) farmland is primarily a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and I understand that there are ongoing commitments in the Common Agricultural Policy and Rural Development Programme in this regard. However, the Heritage Council, which is under the aegis of my Department, has been involved in research on HNV farming to identify priorities for the protection and conservation of our natural heritage, in line with the Heritage Act 1995. I understand that the Council commissioned case studies in 2008 on HNV farming on the Aran Islands and in North Connemara. Since 2010, the Heritage Council and the European Forum for Nature Conservation and Pastoralism (grant-aided by the European Commission), have co-funded a HNV officer. Staff in the National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department have been involved where HNV lands are located in Natura 2000 sites.

The Heritage Council’s work on NHV farming has been used in an application for funding under the EU LIFE+ programme by my Department for targeted works in HNV lands on the Aran Islands. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine are a nominated associated beneficiary for this project and have indicated support for the project if the application is successful.

Without prejudice to the outcome of the current review of the Heritage Council, it will be a matter for the Council to decide if further funding should be allocated to this area in future years, having regard to competing priorities for limited resources.