Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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607. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht when she will honour the commitment given to the Irish Farmers' Association on 28 May 2015 to reconvene a meeting on the issue of the National Parks and Wildlife Service's farm plan scheme for the Shannon Callows; the reason for the delay; the progress to date on a new farm plan scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38969/15]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Special Protection Areas and Special Areas of Conservation are designated in accordance with the provisions of the EU Habitats Directive and EU Birds Directive, which have been transposed into national law under the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011. Both designations occur within the Shannon Callows.

A habitat enhancement scheme (known as the National Parks and Wildlife Service Farm Plan Scheme) was previously available to farmers in designated sites to undertake proactive measures for the conservations interests in question. These measures were not a condition of the designation, nor were they compensation for designation. These commitments were voluntary in nature and lasted for the period of the farm plan. This scheme was closed to new applicants in April 2010. My Department will enter into new farm plan contracts only in specific cases where pro-active measures are required by or overseen by the Department to protect/restore an important species or habitat.

Instead, significant funding is provided now through the Rural Development Programme (operated by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine) to assist farmers in meeting the requirements of the Birds and Habitats Directives. It is wise in my view that the Programme, co-funded with the EU, is used for such purposes. Farmers such as those in the Shannon Callows have been given priority access to the GLAS scheme. My Department has also supports an EU-funded pilot project to test Result-based Agri-environment Payment Schemes (RBAPS) in the Shannon Callows and this will run from January 2015 to June 2018. This will hopefully inform future agri-environment schemes in the Shannon Callows.

Staff of my Department are available to discuss these issues and the Designated Area Monitoring Committee may be the appropriate forum to do this.