The Minister for Environment, Mr Martin Cullen, today convened a three-month consultation period between his Department and farming groups to review EU regulations covering Special Areas of Conservation (SACs).
The review process will finalise Ireland's fifth and final tranche of land to be designated for environmental conservation under the EU Habitats Directive.
Under the directive, the State is obliged to designate certain areas as nature conservation zones.
Some farmers say they do not want any designation of their land as their assets are being rendered valueless.
They claim the compensation being paid to farmers whose lands have been designated under SACs is inadequate.
The heritage body Dúchas has come into conflict in recent years with farmers over its attempt to designate land for conservation.
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Currently about one million hectares, approximately 10 per cent of the land cover in Ireland, has either been designated or is proposed for environmental conservation.
Announcing today's review, Minister Cullen said: "The Government is adopting an inclusive approach to this process. Maintaining good farming practice is a core objective."
"It is my belief that the best way to ensure conservation of nature, respecting the requirements of national and EU legislation, is with the full co-operation and participation with landowners," he said.
The Department intends to run a number of advertisements in local newspapers in the coming weeks to notify farmers if their land has been proposed for designation.
It will also hear appeals against any proposed designations during the three-month period.
