Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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137. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 599 of 25 November 2014, the number of farmers who participated in the National Parks and Wildlife Service farm plan scheme and the range of individual gross payments which farmers qualified for under the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46405/14]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Some 728 plans were approved by my Department under the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) Farm Plan Scheme. Farmers were paid for the quantified costs of compliance, except where flat rate payments per hectare were agreed in advance.

The following plan types were paid at a flat rate per hectare, assuming eligibility and adherence to the appropriate prescriptions:

- Chough

- Corncrake (in the Shannon Callows)

- Hen Harrier

- Commonage Destocking (mainly in restricted areas of Mayo and Galway)

- Corncrake (in Mayo and Donegal)

- Breeding Wader (in the Shannon Callows)

With the exception of the commonage destocking plans, these plans were entered into on a voluntary basis. The relevant prescriptions were prepared and tailored to ensure that farming supported an improvement in the condition of the habitat or for the species being managed, under contract with the farmer. The NPWS Farm Plan Scheme was therefore designed to incentivise farmers to go above and beyond their statutory requirements and was not compensation for designation.

The payment rates that pertained under the various plan types are set out in the table. It may be noted that capital works may also be a part of individual plans and are paid according to costs incurred.