Vol. 458 No. 8
95 Mr. E. Ryan asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht his views on whether all the enterprising work over the past couple of years on projects in the Mayo area to save the corncrake will fail if the current system is changed and handed over to the REPS scheme. [17661/95]
96 Mr. E. Ryan asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht if his attention has been drawn to the threat to the corncrake in the Moy Valley and other parts of Ireland in view of the strong feelings of small farmers against the idea of joining the REPS scheme. [17662/95]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 95 and 96 together.
My position in relation to future funding for the corncrake grants scheme is set out in my replies to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 104 of 17 October 1995 and 143 of 7 November 1995 and in the Minister of State's reply to a Seanad Éireann Adjournment Debate on 16 November 1995.
I can do no more than to reiterate that I am committed to the preservation of the corncrake and I do not intend to abandon the present corncrake grants scheme until such time as I am satisfied that the rural environment protection scheme is capable of providing at least the same protection for this endangered species.
