Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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445. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in view of the decision taken by the Shannon Airport Authority to allow farming organisations to cut grass on property owned by them to help alleviate fodder shortages in the local area, if he will ask those agencies, companies, authorities, boards and so on who come within his remit to consider similar initiatives on suitable public lands owned by them in conjunction with representatives of local farming organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23765/13]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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My Department's primary role as custodian of the National Parks and nature reserves is to conserve their biodiversity, unique features and qualities and to protect the species and habitats within them. While the majority of these lands are not suitable for the support of livestock, where a need arises for grazing to be undertaken in specific habitats, my Department has entered into grazing licensing agreements with the farming community in some instances and maintains it own livestock in other cases.

In view of the present fodder shortage, I have asked my Department to consider what other lands within the National Parks and nature reserves might be suitable for fodder production and the feasibility of making those lands available for this purpose as an exceptional measure in these exceptionally difficult circumstances.

The Deputy will appreciate that most of the bodies funded from my Department's Vote Group do not own or control land. In the case of those that do, the management of this issue is part of their day-to-day operational responsibilities. I am arranging, therefore, for the terms of the Deputy’s Question to be transmitted to the heads of those bodies that may be potentially in a position to be of assistance in this matter.