asked the Minister for Agriculture in view of his recent reply that the reclassification of Connemara would benefit large dairy farmers and not small farmers, if he is aware that there are only 13 dairy farmers in Connemara and that the reclassification would bring major benefits to the hundreds of hill sheep farmers in Connemara; and if he will open immediate negotiations with the EC Commission to reclassify Connemara as a mountainous area.
Written Answers. - Reclassification of Connemara.
54.
In my reply to Question No. 192 of 18 February I pointed out that the benefits of reclassifying more severely handicapped areas to mountain area status would accrue to larger dairy farmers and I drew particular attention to the fact that there are very few such farmers in areas like Connemara.
Under Directive 75/268/EEC, there are no advantages to sheep farmers from an area being designated as a mountain area under Article 3.3 instead of as a less favoured area under Article 3.4.