Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 4 Dec 1996

Vol. 472 No. 4

Written Answers. - National Heritage Areas.

Síle de Valera

Ceist:

68 Miss de Valera asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if he will give details of the liaison which has taken place between his Department and the Department of Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht to ensure that farmers do not suffer a loss of income from the implementation of the national heritage areas and the special area of conservation. [23390/96]

Brian Cowen

Ceist:

136 Mr. Cowen asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if he will give details of the liaison which has taken place between his Department and the Department of Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht to ensure that farmers do not suffer a loss of income from the implementation of the national heritage areas and the special areas of conservation. [23536/96]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry (Mr. Yates)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 68 and 136 together.

A number of meetings have taken place between my Department and the Department of Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht on this matter.

In relation to proposed natural heritage areas (NHAs) farmer compensation of approximately £30 per hectare, subject to a maximum of 40 hectares, is available through a special supplementary measure to the rural environment protection scheme (REPS). This is, of course, in addition to the basic REPS premium of approximately £125 per hectare. Such farmers are required to comply with the conditions for the conservation of the proposed NHA. Conditions have recently been agreed for the conservation of blanket bogs, heaths and upland grasslands proposed as designated NHAs under REPS. The conservation conditions concerned were agreed by a committee I established which had representation from my Department and the Department of Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht as well as from farming and conservation interests. I consider that, through the application of this REPS measure, farmers are protected against any potential income losses resulting from NHA designation.

The Department of Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht is currently in the process of transposing into national law the EU Habitats Directive which provides for the designation of special areas of conservation (SACs). The matters of farming conditions to be applied in such areas and farmer compensation are, obviously, important elements of this designation process. To this end discussions are currently ongoing between my Department, the Department of Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht and farming interests. To date meetings have been held with both the main farming organisations and I understand further discussions are proposed. The objective is to arrive at a package of measures which will compensate farmers adequately for any income losses resulting from SAC designations.