16 Dec 2014, 18:19
The Oireachtas Joint Committee Agriculture, Food and the Marine has this evening agreed to progress farmers’ concerns around the designation of Special Conservation Area to protect the hen harrier.
16 December 2014
As part of the process, the Committee intends to call Officials from the Departments of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht.
The Committee was meeting from representatives from Irish Farmers with Designated Land, who outlined how changes of designation of land under EU Directives have served to dramatically devalue the land of about 4,000 farmers.
Committee Chairman Andrew Doyle TD says: “This afternoon’s meeting with IFDL representatives illuminated the difficulties that many farmers have endured in light of the designation of 169,000 hectares of land to protect the hen harrier. The Committee heard that farming and the hen harrier have coexisted for centuries. We fully take on board that this generation of farmers are well placed to act as custodians of these lands and the wildlife that resides there, including the hen harrier.
“With EU agriculture policy increasingly recognising the public good, the Committee is concerned that farmers with these lands are being unduly penalised by policies to protect species such as the hen harrier. During the meeting, the Committee agreed to play a proactive role in seeking a practical and common sense solution. As a first step, we will invite officials from the Departments of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht to explore how the concerns raised this afternoon might be progressed.”
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paul.hand@oireachtas.ie