A new five-year environmental scheme for the protection of designated areas and commonage has been announced.
This scheme is open to farmers and landowners in Special Areas of Conservation (SAC), Special Protection Areas (SPAs) and commonages.
Funded by the Irish taxpayer, the scheme will pay farmers and landowners for losses incurred through restrictions caused by the designation of lands as a SAC or a SPA, or to pay for actions which are of benefit to nature and are agreed in a farm plan.
A Department of the Environment spokesman said last night the level of payment had not yet been decided but would probably be on a par with that for destocking commonage.
That scheme cost €1.4 million last year, when payments were made to between 1,100 and 1,200 farmers.