Labour TD, Michael McNamara, has urged the National Parks & Wildlife Service to take a sensible and flexible approach to ensure that storm damage repair in environmentally sensitive areas can be undertaken without penalty to farmers.

Deputy McNamara, who raised the issue at the Dáil Agriculture Committee recently, welcomed the agreement by Department of Agriculture Assistant Secretary, Kevin Smyth, to write to the National Parks & Wildlife Service informing them of his Department's policy of adopting a common sense and practical approach to inspecting farms which had been damaged by storms and floods.

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"Farmers along the West Clare Coast and the Shannon Estuary need clarity on what they can and cannot do in relation to repairing embankments and culverts in Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Areas.

"Senior Inspector, Liam Fahey, told the Agriculture Committee that if a farmer is carrying out repairs over and above what he is allowed to do, he has to get permission from the National Parks and Wildlife service before he can proceed.

"Because we are dealing with exceptional circumstances after the storms, urgent work needs to be done. Farmers are prepared to carry out necessary work on embankments and culverts now but they need guidance and advice. They have no wish to find themselves penalised through the Single Payment scheme.

"The National Parks & Wildlife Service is responsible for implementing the criteria laid down for SACs and SPAs. I believe it has a responsibility to inform farmers, through meetings, media and other public information, how flexible the National Parks & Wildlife Service can be, so that urgent work can get underway."

(CD/MH)