Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 14 January 2015
1042. Deputy Marcella Corcoran Kennedy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht when the special protection areas for endangered birds, including the hen harrier, were established; the budget for same; the duration of the scheme; the number of farmers who were entitled to enter the scheme; the number of farmers who availed of it; her plans to reinstate the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49738/14]
View answerI understand that the Deputy's Question relates to the hen harrier in particular and will focus my reply on issues relating to that species.
Ireland is obliged under the EU Birds Directive to designate Special Protection Areas (SPAs) for Annex I species such as the Hen Harrier. Annex I species are those that are deemed in greatest need of conservation due to population and range declines. In total six sites were designated in 2007 for the Hen Harrier:
1. Slieve Bloom Mountains SPA, Counties Laois & Offaly
2. Stack's to Mullaghareirk Mountains, West Limerick Hills and Mount Eagle SPA, Counties Cork, Kerry & Limerick
3. Mullaghanish to Musheramore Mountains SPA, Co. Cork
4. Slievefelim to Silvermines Mountains SPA, Counties Limerick & Tipperary
5. Slieve Beagh SPA, Co. Monaghan
6. Slieve Aughty Mountains SPA, Counties Clare & Galway
These SPAs include conifer plantations, heath/bog and rough grassland. Intensively managed agricultural land, houses and farm buildings have generally been excluded. Together the six sites total some 169,000 ha of land. Conifer plantation makes up 80,950 ha (48%), rough grassland 39,630 ha (23%) and heath/bog 47,760 ha (28%).
A habitat enhancement scheme (known as the National Parks and Wildlife Service Farm Plan Scheme) was available to farmers in Hen Harrier SPAs to undertake proactive measures for the species. These measures were not a condition of the designation, nor were they mandatory. My Department issued notifications to some 5,508 persons who were identified as having an interest in these sites. Voluntary commitments were entered into by 377 landowners under the Farm Plan Scheme covering over 9,000 hectares. 105 of the farm plans are still active.
Since the scheme commenced in 2008 until the end of December 2014, €13,950,658 has been paid to the farmers in question. This scheme was sourced solely from Exchequer funding. Due to budgetary constraints, the scheme closed to new applicants in April 2010. My Department is honouring contracted commitments to the end of the 5 year period.
In terms of the future, my Department is in ongoing discussions with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine concerning a range of measures for the protection or restoration of biodiversity, including the Hen Harrier, under Ireland's next EU co-funded Rural Development Programme.
