Vol. 396 No. 1
54 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for Energy the reason a person (details supplied) in County Galway has been refused a forestry grant as his lands are in an area designated an area of scientific interest; and if the person concerned will qualify for plantation work carried out.
The forestry grant schemes require that all works undertaken must be compatible with the protection of the environment. As the site is in an area of scientific interest, the Wildlife Service of the Office of Public Works have been asked for their observations. On receipt of their observations the matter will be considered further.
61 Mr. Carey asked the Minister for Energy the reason eligible applicants for forestry related compensatory allowances in disadvantaged areas were confined to those who were in receipt of 1986, 1987 and 1988 grants under the sheep headage scheme, the cattle and bovine headage scheme and the beef cow scheme.
Compensatory allowances in respect of forestry were paid under a provision of an EC Regulation designed to compensate farmers in disadvantaged areas for the loss of livestock headage payments incurred when they converted their land from livestock to forestry. The then governing EC Regulation required that the forestry payments be confined to those who were already receiving livestock headage payments before afforesting their land.
Forestry compensatory allowances have now been replaced by a forest premium which is available to eligible farmers throughout the country and is not linked to receipt of livestock headage payments in the disadvantaged areas.
