Questions raised over Hen Harrier scheme payments

LANDOWNERS in upland areas of East Clare have raised concerns about a drop in payments for the protection of habitats for the endangered Hen Harrier. 

Large tracts of North East Clare form part of the Slieve Aughty Special Protection Area (SPA) and farmers are incentivised to use methods that protect these ground-nesting birds, who live on bogs and marginal lands. 

The Hen Harrier Project is managed from Oranmore and, according to Caher-based Councillor Pat Hayes, has been working very well. He said, however, that landowners in the scheme are now facing reduced payments, which could, in turn, make participation and conservation measures less attractive.

“Up to now, the scheme has been somewhat independent of the Department of Agriculture,” Councillor Hayes said.

“Farmers in the GLAS Scheme also got a top up for working with the Hen Harrier Project. Now, it looks like this will all be mainstreamed under the new ACRES [Agri-Climate Rural Environment] Scheme, through the Department of Agriculture.

“The old scheme had been building very well and good work was being done. It was a valuable source of income for remote farms and especially for those farming part time. It was a recognition of the designation  for farmers in those areas and of the work they were doing.”

The Fianna Fáil representative pointed out that farmers could find themselves losing out under the new arrangement.

“If someone had been getting €5,000 and another €2,000 through GLAS, that could be down now to just €4,000 in total,” he outlined. “The risk now is that people could feel their designation is no longer being recognised. As it is, it’s very challenging for someone to develop a site, or anything else, on their land.

“Take a suckler farmer where costs are rising and the income is limited. Changes to Hen Harrier payments will only add to their woes. One person said to me they might be as well off getting 20 more cattle than going into the ACRES Scheme.”

Councillor Hayes said that with moves to reduce the national herd, in the interests of mitigating against climate change, changes to Hen Harrier payments were not a positive move.

“Many farms are struggling when it comes to long-term viability and the last thing that’s needed is this kind of tinkering around the edges of a schee that had been working well.

“People are beginning to ask what has happened, because the Hen Harrier Project is a good one and people, especially here in the heart of it around Lough Graney, want to take part. It looks like someone has taken their eye off the ball on this.”

Nationally, the Hen Harrier population has been declining for the last 40 years with up to 157 pairs remaining. Within the SPA network, the breeding population of Hen Harrier has declined by 27% since 2005. The Slieve Aughty SPA extends from just south of Lough Rea in County Galway as far as Scariff. 

Farmers in the Hen Harrier Project work closely with the Project Team to identify issues and develop and implement solutions. The Hen Harrier Payment is an acknowledgement of the success of conservation efforts.