377 farmers share €11m payment from State to protect hen harriers

A select group of farmers have enjoyed an €11m government bonanza through implementing measures aimed at conserving the protected hen harriers on their lands.

According to the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Jimmy Deenihan, 377 farmers have received the payment as part of the Hen Harrier Farm Scheme with the average payment €29,177. The latest department figures show there are an estimated 144 hen harriers across six Special Protection Areas (SPAs) for birds.

Yesterday, development office with Birdwatch Ireland, Niall Hatch, said: “If the Government wasn’t funding conservation measures towards the hen harrier, it would be facing very substantial fines from Europe for not doing so.