Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

979. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her views on a matter (details supplied) regarding farmers who are being issued letters from her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25726/16]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Ireland is required, under the EU Habitats Directive, to formally designate its special areas of conservation and a project is in place within my Department to oversee this process. This involves the adoption of a Statutory Instrument for each site. These are not new sites – most have been legally protected for 15 years or more. The making of Statutory Instruments is the final step in the designation of the existing special areas of conservation and does not place any new or additional conditions on landowners/users than already applied from the time the sites were first identified as candidate special areas of conservation.

My Department is currently engaged in a public information campaign in relation to the final element of designation of these special areas of conservation, which has included advertisements in national and local newspapers.

Affected landowners/users will also receive a notice by post to advise them that the final, formal element in the designation of the site has been completed by the publication of the Statutory Instrument for the special area of conservation in question. This notice will include a map of the site and other relevant information. My Department will also be taking out advertisements in newspapers alongside the notification letters. As these are not new designations, landowners/users will be aware already of the status of the lands in question.