Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 8 October 2015
229. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the up-to-date position on her efforts to bring about a fair deal for owners of hen harrier designated lands; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35040/15]
View answerAs I have stated on a number of occasions, significant funding is provided through the Rural Development Programme (operated by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine) to assist farmers in meeting the requirements of the Birds and Habitats Directives. It is wise in my view that the Programme, co-funded with the EU, is used for such purposes. Farmers in Hen Harrier Special Protection Areas are given priority access to the GLAS scheme and can receive the higher GLAS + payment. It should also be noted that participation in the Single Payment scheme requires farmers to abide by the statutory requirements relating to Special Protection Areas and Special Areas of Conservation.
Work on the Threat Response Plan for Hen Harrier is continuing. It was agreed by all parties in the Consultative Committee that the results of the 2015 Hen Harrier survey should be incorporated into the Plan. The survey work has recently been concluded and the results are presently being compiled. The final survey data is expected later this month. At that point, the Steering Group and Consultative Committee will reconvene to continue development towards the first draft of the Plan.
