The figures in the table below indicate the number of landowners (by county) who were notified that their lands are designated (for the protection of the hen harrier) as Special Protection Areas (SPAs).
Sitecode
|
Site name
|
-
|
Landowners Notified by County
|
4160
|
SLIEVE BLOOM MOUNTAINS SPA
|
Laois
|
310
|
4160
|
SLIEVE BLOOM MOUNTAINS SPA
|
Offaly
|
146
|
4161
|
STACK'S TO MULLAGHAREIRK MOUNTAINS, WEST LIMERICK HILLS AND MOUNT EAGLE SPA
|
Cork
|
411
|
4161
|
STACK'S TO MULLAGHAREIRK MOUNTAINS, WEST LIMERICK HILLS AND MOUNT EAGLE SPA
|
Kerry
|
707
|
4161
|
STACK'S TO MULLAGHAREIRK MOUNTAINS, WEST LIMERICK HILLS AND MOUNT EAGLE SPA
|
Limerick
|
735
|
4162
|
MULLAGHANISH TO MUSHERAMORE MOUNTAINS SPA
|
Cork
|
170
|
4165
|
SLIEVEFELIM TO SILVERMINES MOUNTAINS SPA
|
Limerick
|
131
|
4165
|
SLIEVEFELIM TO SILVERMINES MOUNTAINS SPA
|
Tipperary
|
372
|
4167
|
SLIEVE BEAGH SPA
|
Monaghan
|
86
|
4168
|
SLIEVE AUGHTY MOUNTAINS SPA
|
Galway
|
743
|
4168
|
SLIEVE AUGHTY MOUNTAINS SPA
|
Clare
|
628
|
-
|
Total
|
-
|
4439
|
The number of participants who received payments under my Department’s Farm Plan Scheme for the Hen Harrier is set out in the table below. This is a voluntary scheme whereby farmers are paid for creating and enhancing habitat.
County
|
Number of Participants
|
Clare
|
86
|
Cork
|
53
|
Galway
|
32
|
Kerry
|
60
|
Laois
|
7
|
Limerick
|
96
|
Monaghan
|
11
|
Tipperary
|
32
|
Total
|
377
|
Due to budgetary constraints, the scheme is now closed to new applicants since April 2010.
While my Department has the lead role in relation to the implementation of the Habitats Directive and the Birds Directive, significant funding is provided through the Rural Development Programme, operated by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, which provides for a range of supports for farmers, including payments in respect of designated areas under the Directives.
This Department does not hold information of the number of individuals in these SPAs who are in receipt of payments for management of Natura 2000 lands in schemes operated by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. In recent versions of the Agri-Environmental Options Scheme (AEOS), lands designated as SPA were afforded priority access to this scheme.