Hen harrier issue under scrutiny

THE issue of the hen harrier must be resolved quickly, Minister of State John Browne insisted yesterday at the IFA national farm forestry conference in Tullamore.

He said EU directives are legal requirements in this country and must be respected. Ireland has been cited in legal proceedings in regard to the Birds Directive and the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive.

IFA Farm Forestry chairman John Jackson recently urged Minister Browne not to take any rash decisions in relation to restricting forestry in areas being designated by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) for the protection of the hen harrier.