Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 20 Feb 1997

Vol. 475 No. 3

Written Answers. - Special Areas of Conservation.

Tony Killeen

Question:

31 Mr. Killeen asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht if the compensation to farmers where lands are in special areas of conservation will provide for the loss of sale value; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3786/97]

Máirín Quill

Question:

35 Miss Quill asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht the meetings held by him with farming organisations since the commencement of 1997 in relation to special areas of conservation; and the progress, if any, made as a result of these meetings. [4680/97]

Tony Killeen

Question:

37 Mr. Killeen asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht the way in which it is proposed to monitor activities in special areas of conservation; and when final designation decisions and conditions applying will be agreed. [3046/97]

Peadar Clohessy

Question:

41 Mr. Clohessy asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht the way in which he proposes to proceed with the requirement of the EU Directive in relation to the designation of wildlife habitats in 1997. [4684/97]

Joe Walsh

Question:

58 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht if he will give details of the compensation for farmers affected by special areas of conservation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4789/97]

Brendan Smith

Question:

68 Mr. B. Smith asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht the progress, if any, achieved to date in addressing the concerns of farming organisations in relation to the designation of lands as national heritage areas and special areas of conservation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4795/97]

Liam Lawlor

Question:

75 Mr. Lawlor asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht if he will give a progress report on the negotiations between his Department and the farming organisations regarding compensation for farmers affected by national heritage areas and special areas of conservation. [4822/97]

Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht (Mr. M. Higgins)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 31, 35, 37, 41, 58, 68 and 75 together.

I refer the Deputies to my reply to today's Priority Question No. 4 and to my replies to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 121, 122, 123, 124 and 125 of 4 February 1997 and Nos. 55, 58, 59, 62 and 63 of 6 February 1997.

Of the fifteen meetings, referred to in my reply to today's Priority Question No. 4, which I and-or my officials had with farming organisations since the middle of last year, six took place since the beginning of 1997.

The status of lands in special areas of conservation (SACs) will be monitored on an ongoing basis by staff of the National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department. The conditions applying to some two-thirds of the land area of proposed candidate SACs have already been agreed by a committee comprising representatives of my Department — the Department of Agriculture — Food and Forestry, Teagasc, private planners, farming organisations and the relevant nongovernmental organisations. I look forward to agreement being reached in a similar fashion in regard to the conditions which will apply to the remaining areas.

Designation of proposed natural heritage areas (NHAs) will not take place until an amendment to the Wildlife Act, 1976, has been passed by the Oireachtas. As the designation of proposed NHAs will not result in any compulsory restrictions in farming practices, the question of compensation will therefore not arise.