Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if any support or compensation is available to farmers who have lost out on possible income and payments as a result of their land being designated as a special area of conservation. [16266/13]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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Compensation, or financial incentives, may be payable in respect of land designated as a special area of conservation in a number of ways.

My Department administers a small-scale farm plan scheme, which supports farmers in adopting appropriate management practices in the Natura 2000 network. These include supports for sheep destocking on western hills, for managing land for corncrakes and hen harriers, and, separately, as part-contribution to schemes such as the Burren Farming for Conservation Programme. It should be noted that the main farm plan scheme operated by my Department is currently closed to new applicants.

While my Department has the lead role in relation to the implementation of the Habitats Directive and the Birds Directive, significant funding is provided through the rural development programme, operated by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, which provides for a range of supports for farmers, including payments in respect of designated areas under the Directives.

My Department has also put in place a comprehensive compensation scheme for those affected by the cessation of turf cutting on raised bog habitat designated as special areas of conservation under the EU Habitats Directive.

Finally, it should be noted that regulation 41 of the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011 sets out provisions in relation to the payment of compensation, in certain circumstances where I, as Minister, refuse consent to carry out certain activities within a special area of conservation.