Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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3361. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if forestry planting is permitted in areas in which the hen harrier is present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39259/21]

Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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3362. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will introduce a system enabling forestry to be planted in areas in which the hen harrier is present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39261/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 3361 and 3362 together.

Afforestation applications in relation to areas that are known to be nesting areas for Hen Harriers can be approved by the Department, subject to a series of restrictions and following a detailed ecological appraisal process, provided that are outside the SPA network. This might entail restricting certain ‘disturbance operations’ undertaken as part of site development for afforestation (e.g. cultivation, the driving of fence posts) and / or the exclusion of areas from planting (up to and including the entire area of the proposal), for example, if the proposed area is near the nesting site and comprises important foraging habitat.

The Department is not approving any afforestation projects that are located within Special Protection Areas (or ‘SPAs’) designated for breeding Hen Harrier. The approach to be taken to any future afforestation within these SPAs will be set out in this Plan. The development of the Hen Harrier Threat Response Plan is overseen by the National Parks and Wildlife Service.