Departmental Funding

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 March 2013

Wednesday, 20 March 2013

Questions (405)

Michael Creed

Question:

405. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the funding available for land owners, through the rural development fund, arising from restrictions relating to special protection areas and special areas of conservation; if this funding is available to land owners at a location (details supplied) who are currently unable to proceed with afforestation due to restrictions associated with the hen harrier; to whom applications for compensation may be submitted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14139/13]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The implementation of the Birds Directive and the Habitats Directive, under which Special Protection Areas (SPA’s) and Special Areas of Conservation (SAC’s) are designated, is a matter in the first instance for the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.

Farmers can be compensated under the Natura 2000 Measure of Ireland’s Rural Development Plan 2006 – 2013 for farming restrictions related SAC and SPA designation of farmland.

Natura 2000 payments are delivered through the Rural Environment Protection Scheme, and more recently through it’s successor the Agri-Environment Options Scheme (AEOS). The Natura payment rate under AEOS is €75 per hectare subject to an overall maximum farmer payment of €5,000 per calendar year in AEOS 1 and €4,000 per calendar year in AEOS 2 and AEOS 3.