21 Mr. Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the number of REP scheme participants who will be affected by the proposed special areas of conservation, the birds directive and the habitats directive. [3125/97]

25 Mr. Davern asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the number of REP scheme participants who will be affected by the proposed special areas of conservation, the birds directive and the habitats directive. [3128/97]

27 Mr. Cullen asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the number of REP scheme participants who will be affected by the proposed special areas of conservation, the birds directive and the habitats directive. [3127/97]

31 Mr. H. Byrne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the number of REP scheme participants who will be affected by the proposed special areas of conservation, the birds directive and the habitats directive. [3124/97]

53 Mr. Connolly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the number of REP scheme participants who will be affected by the proposed special areas of conservation, the birds directive and the habitats directive. [3126/97]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 21, 25, 27, 31 and 53 together.

I estimate that approximately 3,750 existing REP participants will be affected by special areas of conservation to be designated under the habitats directive and special protection areas to be designated under the birds directive.

It is estimated that, including existing REP participants, up to 10,000 farmers could be affected by the designation of SACs and a few hundred by SPA designations. It is not known at this stage how many more of these farmers will join REP.