Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 24 March 2021
692. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the details of the compensatory measures that are available to farmers who have had their lands designated as special protection areas under the EU birds directive; the number availing of such measures; and the amount of funding provided by her Department for same. [15206/21]
View answerSubject to the provisions of regulation 41 of the European Communities (Bird and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011, where the Minister refuses to give consent to an activity requiring consent within a special protection area, in accordance with regulation 30 of the regulations, a person (owner or occupier or user) may be eligible to compensation of an amount equal to the loss suffered by him/her by the depreciation of an interest in the land to which he or she was entitled.
In this context, where a person makes an application for consent and the Minister refuses to give consent, he or she may make an application for compensation.
In 2020, the Department made two compensation payments totalling €4,278, arising from the refusal of the Minister to give consent to an activity requiring consent within a special protection area.
My Department’s National Parks and Wildlife Service also administers a farm plan scheme. This scheme provides payments for voluntary commitments by farmers above and beyond statutory requirements. While this is not a compensatory measure, commitments and actions undertaken as part of the scheme may occur on designated land.
