Farmer payments under the new European Innovation Partnership (EIP) project for breeding waders are expected to be in the region of €8.75 million.
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, officially unveiled details of the €25 million project today (Wednesday, May 22) by the River Shannon in Co. Offaly.
The project aims to maintain “key sites” for existing wader populations, including inter alia, curlew, redshank, golden plover, lapwing and snipe.
The level of farmer participation during year one of the project is expected to meet 100 and increase further to include 650 farmers by year four and five.
There are already 27 participants of the project on short-term contracts for this year’s breeding season.
Minister McConalogue said that training will be provided to some 400 farmers and advisors for each year of the partnership.
Breeding waders
He also detailed that the “key objective” is seeing the environment for breeding waders becoming more “protected and strengthened”.
The minister added that the Irish Rural Link (IRL) will be working with farmers to decide on payment rates.
The minister said that the shift in the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) means that “farmers are already engaged and incentivised” to manage the land in a way that is “sensitive to habitats”.
He added that when land is being mowed, it is “important” to consider the types of habitats in place.
“I have no doubt that with the project we have in place that we can look forward to making real progress through this five years and through everyone working together and pulling the rope in the same direction,” Minister McConalogue said.
Minister of State for Land Use and Biodiversity with special responsibility for Horticulture, Pippa Hackett also spoke at the launch.
Minister Hackett said that aim of the project is to “restore whole habitats and ecosystems” for birds to live, lay eggs and reproduce hatchlings.
“In our department, we have spent €66 million on EIP projects, but now we’re seeing it move broader than that. It is a cross government approach,” Minister Hackett said.
“I’d like to think in years to come that we will see more government departments and more state agencies get involved, because ultimately, for us to deliver for farming communities and for nature, everyone really has to get on board with it,” the minister added.