Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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173. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the facility in place, as administered by his Department, to alter the designation on a quid pro quo basis, of hen harrier type land, when the original designation is determined simply by a line on a map and does not take account of current and well established farming methods, allied to the fact whereby more obviously suitable land not currently designated adjoins, as this designation applies to participation in the green low-carbon agri-environment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8366/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The designation of Hen Harrier habitat under the Birds Directive is a matter for the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in the first instance. Farmed areas identified to my Department by that Department as Hen Harrier habitat to be protected are given priority access to the GLAS scheme.

While it is not within my remit to alter areas identified by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, I have ensured that at farm level a percentage of the area may be exempted from the GLAS farming specifications and used for fodder production.