Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 12 May 1998

Vol. 490 No. 7

Written Answers. - Special Areas of Conservation.

Enda Kenny

Question:

204 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands if the lands of a person (details supplied) in County Mayo are included in the special area of conservation following inspection by her Department's inspectors; and the sheep numbers he is now entitled to have on his holding. [11179/98]

Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands (Miss de Valera)

My Department has no record of the person referred to by the Deputy but I have arranged for Dúchas, the heritage service of my Department, to provide the Deputy with information relevant to the townland together with a map indicating the precise position of the SAC, from which the individual's position will be self-evident.

The position in relation to sheep numbers is that all farmers with lands in SACs will be obliged to farm their lands in accordance with an agri-environmental farm plan. Those who choose to participate in the rural environment protection scheme, administered by the Department of Agriculture and Food, will have a plan prepared for them by farm planner approved by that Department. Others will have a plan prepared by my Department. Until the particular farm plan is prepared for a farm, it is not possible to provide specific details of the exact stock levels which will be permitted to any one person.