Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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330. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to compensate farmers whose land has been designated as special protection areas for the hen harrier; if his plans to include such farmers in the GLÁS scheme are not adequate to compensate for the enormous impact this derogation has on the value of the lands in question; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4567/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The designation of land is a matter in the first instance for the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. The detailed consideration of Ireland’s Draft Rural Development Programme(RDP) by the EU Commission is now at an advanced stage and t he new Green Low-Carbon Agri- Environment Scheme (GLAS) is a key component of our RDP. I hope to be in a position to open GLAS as soon as agreement is reached with the EU Commission in the near future. GLAS will be the main source of support under my Department for farmers with Hen Harrier habitat on their holding. The proposed payment under GLAS for farmers who undertake the Hen Harrier action is €370 per hectare subject to a maximum payment of €7,000, if they qualify for GLAS Plus. This rate is based on the additional costs involved in protecting and enhancing the habitat, and the income foregone as a direct result of that. The regulations governing GLAS do not allow land- value to be taken into account in establishing payment rates under the scheme.