Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) Committee chairman Martin Gavin said the delay in the implementation of the National Parks and Wildlife Farm Plan Scheme for farming and developmental restrictions imposed in SAC areas had led to many of the problems which farmers had experienced over the last number of years.

Top-up compensation for landowners who sold SAC (special areas of conservation) or NHA (natural heritage areas) bogs from 1998 to 2003 is now being paid to more than 100 farmers by the Department of the Environment, says IFA Western Committee Chairman Martin Gavin.