WRITTEN QUESTION P-2540/99 by Patricia McKenna (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Planned golf course in Doonbeg, Co. Clare, Ireland.
Date: 1999-12-16
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU environmental policy, EU financing arrangements, European Regional Development Fund, Ireland, biotope, infringement of EU law, public works, sports facilities

C 280 E/68

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

3.10.2000

(2000/C 280 E/067)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2537/99

by Michiel van Hulten (PSE) to the Commission

(4 January 2000)

Subject: Support to American agriculture sector

In an article headlined (cid:145)America gives farming more support than EU(cid:146) published in the Agrarisch Dagblad
(Agricultural Daily, Netherlands) for 14 October 1999, a Commission official is reported as stating that in
the 1999-2000 farming year the United States will be paying out more in agricultural subsidies than the
European Union. Price support in the United States is said to be running at some 20 billion dollars
annually.

Can the Commission indicate what forms of support the United States grants its agricultural sector, and
will it provide figures to support the statement attributed to the Commission official?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(31 January 2000)

The American budget for agriculture at € 63 and € 69 billion for the years 1999 and 2000 respectively is
more than 50 % higher than that for the common agricultural policy (CAP). It should be pointed out,
however,
to
producers. The food, nutrition and consumer services for example which accounted for € 35 billion of
the 1999 agriculture budget benefit American farmers indirectly in that they promote consumption of
certain food products, which are virtually all sourced from American farms.

the American agriculture budget expenditure is only of

indirect benefit

that much of

In calendar year 1999, direct federal government payments to American farmers amounted to € 22,5 billion
or the equivalent of € 11 000 per farm, double the average payment to Community farmers.

The principal mechanism for supporting American farmers is through Agricultural Market Transition Act
(AMTA) payments which are direct payments to farmers and are fixed on the basis of historic production
and loan deficiency payments which amount to the difference between market prices and a pre-determined
amount per bushel, known as the loan rate.

In 1998 and 1999, the American government supplemented these payments already available to farmers
by about € 15 billion in total through two (cid:145)emergency(cid:146) packages, which was distributed on the basis of the
data available through the AMTA system.

(2000/C 280 E/068)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2540/99

by Patricia McKenna (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

Subject: Planned golf course in Doonbeg, Co. Clare, Ireland

(16 December 1999)

In 1997 an American golf course company, Landmark National, of Columbus, Ohio, agreed with Shannon
Development, the Irish State Agency responsible for rural development in the Shannon area of Ireland, to
develop a (cid:145)world class leisure and golf links resort(cid:146), including a 51 bedroom hotel and 80 chalets, on
unspoiled sand dunes on the coast of County Clare.

The location had been long recognised for its nature conservation values, having been listed nationally and
in the Clare County Development Plan for protection. The site(cid:146)s importance was confirmed in April 1993
when it was resurveyed with EU LIFE funding. This importance was again confirmed in 1997 when it was
again resurveyed with EU LIFE funding and designated as a proposed Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
of 266 hectares, notified to the European Commission on 11 April 1997. [Site Code 1007].

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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In February 1998, without any scientific study, the area was reduced from 266 hectares to 52 hectares and
the Site Code changed from 1007 to 2250 by the Irish Authorities (cid:129) which in November 1998 enabled
the golf development project to proceed. The proposed development was to be part funded by £2,4 million
from the European Regional Development Fund under
the Operational Programme for Tourism
1994-1999.

A study which was commissioned in January 1999 by the relevant Irish authorities from Ireland(cid:146)s leading
conchologist Eveleyn Moorkens into the presence of the rare snail
listed in Annex II of the Habitats
Directive 92/43 (cid:129) Vertigo angustior (cid:129) has proved that the reduction of boundaries had left the majority
of the habitat of the snail outside the boundaries of the SAC, and that to maintain the favourable
conservation status of the snail the boundaries must be expanded to include the area excluded the year
before. The report was not made available on the national planning oral hearing in June 1999 at which the
author was present. The national scientific authorities stated at that time that the development would not
have a significant impact on any species listed in the Directive in spite of the fact that the report states that
(cid:145)changes in topography(cid:146) (which are required by the development proposal) are prohibited.

Can the Commission explain what measures it intends to take in order to reestablish the original
boundaries of the Special Area of Conservation and protect the habitat of Vertigo angustior? How can
the Commission accept that a golf development project (cid:129) which is even partially financed through the
Structural Fund(cid:146)s assistance (cid:129) damages a species protected under Directive 92/43? Does the Commission
intend to open a procedure for infringement of Community law (Article 226 of the EU Treaty), and
especially of Directive 92/43, against the Irish Government?

Answer given by Mrs Wallstr(cid:246)m on behalf of the Commission

(20 January 2000)

The Commission is aware of the issues raised by the Honourable Member as a result of the investigation of
complaints made about the project. In February 1999, the Commission lodged an application against
Ireland before the Court of justice under Article 226 (ex Article 169) of the EC Treaty for failure to
transmit a complete list of sites for purposes of Article 4(1) of Directive 92/43/EEC on the conservation of
natural habitats and of wild flora and fauna (1). The Commission inter alia cited the failure to notify the
original proposed special area of conservation at Doonbeg. Since then, the Irish authorities have notified a
site at Doonbeg, which, as the Honourable Member has noted, is significantly smaller than the original site
(as well as having a different configuration). The report cited by the Honourable Member provides strong
evidence that the site reduction was not scientifically justified in the case of vertigo angustior since the new
site excludes most of the species population at Doonbeg. The Commission has accordingly requested the
Irish authorities to propose a site which completely reflects the presence of this species at Doonbeg.
However, to date, the Irish authorities have declined to do so. Having regard to the scope of the existing
procedure before the Court, the Commission does not consider it necessary or appropriate to start a new
procedure.

By letter dated 14 December 1999, the Commission has informed the Irish authorities that the grant of the
Community assistance to the above mentioned project is to be suspended, for an amount corresponding to
the aid foreseen for the project in question, from the date of receipt of the letter.

(1) OJ L 206, 22.7.1992.

(2000/C 280 E/069)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2543/99

by Neil MacCormick (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(4 January 2000)

Subject: EU enlargement, free movement of doctors and patient safety

When the EU enlarges, doctors and other health professionals in the new member states will have the right
to have their qualifications recognised, and to practice their professions throughout the EU.