Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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153. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the person or body responsible for the National Parks and Wildlife Service; and her views on a matter (details supplied) regarding hen harrier designating lands. [31670/17]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The National Parks and Wildlife Service is a Division of my Department. Following the designation of SPAs, an agreement (the “hen harrier protocol”) was reached between the Forest Service of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the then Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (DAHG), landowner representatives and forest industry interests. However, the European Commission considered the Protocol to be a plan, and as such it could not lawfully be applied in the absence of a strategic environmental assessment. On foot of that and other concerns the protocol was suspended, and it was agreed that a Threat Response Plan would be prepared involving the Government Departments responsible for agriculture and forestry, planning, renewable energy policy, and nature conservation. A consultative committee with representation of all of the main sectors (forestry, agriculture, wind energy, landowners and environmental interests) was convened in 2015 as part of the process of developing the plan.

Officials from my Department are working with the key Departments to finalise the draft Plan and it is expected to be completed shortly. It will be shared for discussion with the Stakeholder Consultative Committee and will then undergo a public consultation and screening for Strategic Environmental Assessment and Appropriate Assessment.

Substantial work has been, and is being, carried out by my Department, and the other stakeholders, in setting the key issues around managing the recovery and conservation of the hen harrier population in Ireland, with full recognition of the concerns of landowners and the other key groups involved in the development of this Plan.