Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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313. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will honour the agreement with farming organisations on the Review of Implementation of the Habitats Regulations 1997; if retrospective payments will be made as happened in the corncrake areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44426/13]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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I presume the Deputy is referring to the agreement made in 2004 under the 2003 Sustaining Progress Partnership Agreement. The agreement made at that time is being implemented and, as set out, is subject to ongoing monitoring by farming organisations and the Department. This takes place through fora such as the Designated Areas Monitoring Committee meetings.

My Department continues to make payments to farmers contracted under the National Parks and Wildlife Farm Plan Scheme. In terms of future schemes, my Department is now engaged in discussions with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine concerning suitable agri-environment measures under the next Rural Development Plan. In this regard, the Agreement noted that future EU policy developments on funding of rural development and nature conservation would be discussed with farming organisations in relation to the management of habitats. The changes to CAP recently negotiated by the Irish Presidency now require such discussion.

I have no plans to make any additional retrospective payments to farmers.