Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 January 2019
1221. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her plans to reintroduce compensation, which was previously paid to farmers affected by the designation and associated restrictions up to 2012, regarding agricultural losses incurred in respect of the permanent designation of special areas of conservation and special protected areas under the national farm plan scheme; and when she envisages its implementation. [1562/19]
View answerThe Farm Plan Scheme, administered by the National Parks and Wildlife Service of this Department, is currently operational albeit on a limited basis, for farmers whose management of designated areas incurs costs or requires actions over and above payments received through other schemes. It is not compensation for designation as such, but it addresses costs or losses which might arise.
It continues to be my intention to increase the scope of the Scheme on a targeted and prioritised basis as funding permits. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) is also operating many targeted schemes for farmers in designated areas. The DAFM GLAS scheme has provided prioritised entry into GLAS and elevated GLAS payments in certain designated areas. It is important that the Farm Plan Scheme is coherent with these schemes and the Basic Payment Scheme.
Funding for the Natura 2000 network is currently available from existing financial instruments, as foreseen in Article 8 of the Habitats Directive. This includes, but is not limited to, CAP funding. My Department has access only to national exchequer funding and at present this funding is limited.
My Department has recently commenced an in-depth, site-by-site analysis of the measures required to achieve good status for the habitats and species that we collectively are protecting in SACs. This will include a review of measures currently operating through GLAS, the NPWS farm plan scheme, LIFE etc. This process will take a number of months but will enable us to set priorities for action and to seek funding for such actions through the budgetary process.
