Written answers

Wednesday, 22 October 2014

Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

Wildlife Protection

Photo of Brendan GriffinBrendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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234. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she has sought assistance from the EU to help address the problem of farmers being at a loss because of lands being sterilised because of the hen harrier; if she will examine all avenues to sort out this damaging restriction for landowners; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40577/14]

Photo of Heather HumphreysHeather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I refer the Deputy to the reply to Question No. 280 of 18 September 2014. There is significant EU funding available to assist farmers in meeting the requirements of the Birds and Habitats Directives. Participation in the Single Farm Payment scheme requires farmers to abide by the statutory requirements relating to Special Protection Areas and Special Areas of Conservation – collectively known as Natura 2000 sites. Additional funding is also provided through the rural development programme. Agri-Environmental schemes such as REPS and AEOS have provided a range of supports, including EU payments in respect of Natura 2000 sites, to tens of thousands of farmers. In future, the provision of EU financial supports for agri-environmental actions by farmers in SACs and SPAs will be made exclusively through the Green, Low carbon Agri-environment Scheme (GLAS), to be operated by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

As detailed in the response to the Deputy in Question No 280 of 18 September, I have convened an Inter-Departmental Steering Group to consider the implication of the Hen Harrier SPA designations in relation to agricultural use, forestry and wind-farm development. This Group has been tasked with drawing up a threat response plan for the Hen Harrier and will deal with various issues of concern to land-owners.

The Departments represented on the Steering Group have been asked to nominate relevant stakeholders for inclusion on the Hen Harrier Threat Response Plan Consultative Committee. My officials will shortly write to the nominated stakeholder organisations formally inviting nominees to be appointed to represent their interests and input into the development of the threat response plan. Stakeholders from the farming, forestry and wind energy industries, as well as environmental non-government organisations and local authority representatives, will be invited to sit on the Committee.

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