Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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354. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason their eligibility for qualification for the hen harrier module under the new green low-carbon agri-environmental scheme has been removed from 29 herds; and if he will reconsider this, as a number of farmers have already made applications under the scheme, including the preservation of hen harrier as a qualification for the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15394/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The designation of areas under the Birds and Habitats Directives is a matter in the first instance for the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. My Department has been advised by the National Parks and Wildlife Service of that Department that , following a review of the information provided by them of Hen Harrier sites throughout the country , a relatively small area in County Donegal should be removed as it is not in fact a habitat for the bird. However, the land in question retains its Natura designation and the farmers concerned still qualify for priority access to the GLAS scheme.