My Department's National Parks and Wildlife Service, NPWS, entered into a 30-year lease agreement with Donegal Creameries last year in respect of 274 hectares of important conservation lands known as Inch Lake.
My Department is involved in drawing up a suitable management plan for the area which will provide for the conservation of the habitats and species of the site, as well as its use of the area for recreational and educational purposes. The plan will also identify a related programme of works in support of these objectives.
I envisage that liaison should take place with interested parties before the plan is finalised, and arrangements for this will be made in early 2004.