Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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729. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she is considering reopening of the NPWS farm plan scheme; the number of persons who participated in the scheme when last opened; and the total funding expended on the programme. [38479/17]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department operates a farm plan scheme, which has the primary objectives of testing, on a relatively small scale, bespoke measures for nature conservation on farmland. The scheme incentivises farmers in particular instances, to go above and beyond their statutory requirements.

There are currently 39 landowners operating under the Farm Plan Scheme, and the total amount paid to farmers in the scheme in 2016 was €446,500. The final expenditure for 2017 has not yet concluded.

While my Department has a lead role in relation to the implementation of the EU Habitats and Birds Directives, significant funding is provided 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 essential, in my view, that, wherever possible, use is made of opportunities for co-funding from the EU in providing payments to farmers who own lands subject to such designations. Agri-environment schemes such as the new GLAS scheme have provided and will provide a range of supports, including payments in respect of Natura 2000 sites, to tens of thousands of farmers. Natura 2000 designation affords eligible farmers priority entry to GLAS and there are additional financial supports under GLAS+ and locally-led European Innovation Partnerships (EIPs).