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The INHFA has said that farmers on Natura 2000 designated lands are owed €130m/year and that these farmers need to be paid.
There are around 35,000 farmers in these designated areas which are on Natura 2000 sites and known as Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Special Protected Areas (SPAs).
In a letter to party leaders, TDs and senators, INHFA president Colm O’Donnell said these designations are a burden on farmers and cost them €150/ha per annum.
He said this burden is “exemplified through additional costs, the requirements to get permission in carrying out normal farming activities and the devaluation of their value”.
He said many of these designated farmers have taken a “financial hit” on their Basic Payment Scheme as a direct result of land being deemed ineligible because of the designation.
Stalemate
“Despite our best efforts over the last number of years in trying to find a fair solution in addressing the legitimate concerns of these farmers, we have reached a stalemate. Currently we don’t believe a solution will be found because the concerns of farmers are not a priority inside the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.
“In addition to this, we would also question how much of a priority the appropriate management of these lands is for this department. Either way, the failings of the Department of Culture in delivering the best outcomes for these protected sites should no longer be ignored,” he said.
The INHFA acknowledged the limited resources made available through the Department of Culture, Heritage and Gaeltacht to the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), which looks after the lands.
“Even if they were given the required financial resources to assist farmers, we are not convinced they have the staff resources to ensure the much-needed improvement in outcomes. This is why we are requesting that all responsibilities for the management of Natura 2000 sites be moved to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine,” he said.
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