Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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199. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the progress on the programme for Government commitment to introduce locally led agri environment schemes which will target habitats such as the hen harrier and the pearl mussel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3675/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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My Department is currently in the process of introducing  important new schemes under the locally-led umbrella for the conservation of the hen harrier and freshwater pearl mussel.  I have provided a total budget of €35 million for these two schemes.  Part of this process requires the recruitment, by public tender, of a Project Team to help develop and deliver these schemes on behalf of my Department, following a similar model to the highly successful Burren farming conservation measure.  The closing date for the tender was 24 January and I would expect that the successful tenderer will be offered a contract before the end of February.

The successful tenderer will be directly involved in drawing up the terms and conditions for the new schemes, along with the range of actions to be applied and associated payments.  This will be done in consultation with officials from my Department and from the National Parks and Wildlife Service of the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, as well as drawing on local knowledge and inputs from farmers on the ground.  Once this stage has been completed, the process of recruiting farmers for a five year scheme will commence.