The Oireachtas Joint Committee for Agriculture will meet with officials from the Departments of Agriculture and Arts and Culture to discuss concerns that farmers are "being unduly penalised by policies to protect species such as the hen harrier".

The Committee agreed to progress farmers' concerns around the designation of Special Conservation Area to protect the hen harrier following a meeting yesterday (Tuesday) with representatives from Irish Farmers with Designated Land (IFDL). The members outlined to the Committee how changes of designation under EU Directives have devalued the land of about 4,000 farmers

Committee Chairman TD Andrew Doyle said the meeting brought to light the difficulties many farmers have endured since the designation of 169,000ha to protect the hen harrier. "We fully take on board that this generation of farmers are well placed to act as custodians of these lands and the wildlife that resides there, including the hen harrier," he said.

Doyle said they will meet with officials from the Departments "to explore how the concerns raised this afternoon might be progressed”.