The report, entitled Designation of Lands as Special Protection Areas for the Conservation of Breeding Hen Harriers, examines the impact of Special Protection Areas (SPAs) in the context of both conservation and the needs of the landowner. It gives a list of 18 recommendations.

Responding to the report today, Wednesday, IFDL chairman Liam O'Keeffe thanked the committee and its chairman for producing a “very detailed and comprehensive report” on the issue of compensation payments to farmers who farm hen harrier SPA land.

“These farmers incur major loss in land value due to the blanket ban on new forestry permissions,” O’Keffee said.

The chairman said the IFDL is “generally satisfied” with the recommendations of the committee insofar as they recommend that payments be made to farmers where obligations are imposed on hen harrier SPA lands. However, O’Keeffe said he was disappointed that the committee did not address IFDL’s specific proposal that an extra payment of €150/ha be made in addition to GLAS payments for farmers farming up to 13.5ha. He emphasised that a failure to make this payment amounts to discrimination against these landowners.

O’Keffee also said that the blanket ban on forestry is having a devastating effect on many farmers in hen harrier designated regions, and a solution to this problem needs to be found immediately. He said that while the committee has considered some of IFDL’s views in relation to the forestry ban, he was disappointed that it did not recommend any payment to farmers who suffer major loss in cases where farmers want to sell land and its only viable use is afforestation.

On the issue of forestry, the Oireachtas report acknowledges the loss of potential earnings from forestry as a result of the blanket ban on new forestry permissions in hen harrier SPAs, but states it does not envisage the provision of compensation in these cases.

It does, however, recommend that new methods of thinning, harvesting and rotation be adopted to reduce the extent of closed canopy areas, detrimental to the survival of the hen harrier.

IFDL

The IFDL was set up in 2014, from regions designated for the protection of the hen harrier. Approximately 3,800 farmers who own land in hen harrier SPAs are members. Membership also includes farmers with land located in adjoining areas. While the IFDL is supportive of the Birds Directive and the protection of the hen harrier, its main concern is that land designation restricts commercial farming practice which results in discriminatory financial losses for farmers with Hen Harrier SPAs.