Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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658. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason persons who are farming in an SAC area are not being compensated under the terms of a EU directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19129/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The designation of land as Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) under the Habitats Directive is a matter in the first instance for the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.

Farmers with SAC land currently in the Rural Environment Protection Scheme (REPS) and the Agri-Environment Options Scheme (AEOS) continue to draw down payment from my Department on SAC land.

The new GLAS Scheme which I announced on 14 January 2014 as part of a suite of proposed measures under the new Rural Development Programme will include a provision for payments to farmers with designated SAC land. Following a wide ranging consultation with numerous stakeholders, draft proposals on the GLAS Scheme are currently being drafted for submission to the European Commission for consideration. When the new Scheme is approved by the European Commission the Scheme will be opened for the submission of applications.