€13m spent to conserve protected hen harrier

Farmers have got an overall €13m government bonanza through implementing measures aimed at conserving the protected hen harrier on their lands.

On a yearly basis since the scheme was launched, it equates to about €12,900 each for an estimated 144 birds located in six designated special protection area (SPAs).

In response to a Freedom of Information request, the Department of Arts, Heritage, and the Gaeltacht confirmed that €1.86m had been paid out to farmers for protecting the hen harrier in the first 10 months of this year.

The department regards the EU-protected hen harrier as “one of Ireland’s and Europe’s most spectacular yet rarest and most threatened birds of prey”.

This year’s spend so far was in addition to €11m paid to farmers to the end of 2013. The Hen Harrier Farm Plan Scheme closed to applicants in April 2010.

There are around 377 farmers in the scheme.

The department has spent €2m on all measures conserving the bird in 2014.

The highest amount received was by a Co Clare farmer — €15,593 — followed by farmers in Limerick, Tipperary, Cork, and Galway, who all received figures in excess of €14,000.

A breakdown of the costs incurred in the protection of the hen harrier this year include the €1.867m paid out to farmers; €101,821 in farm planner fees; €60,277 in a hen harrier mapping project; and €41,265 for the provision of expertise in raptor technology.

The highest proportion of farmers in the scheme are based on the Midwest with 96 in Limerick and 86 in Clare.