Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 16 Nov 1995

Vol. 458 No. 4

Written Answers. - Land Reclassification.

Denis Foley

Question:

28 Mr. Foley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the reason it was not possible to secure the reclassification of land from severely to more severely disadvantaged status in time for payments in this financial year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17001/95]

Rory O'Hanlon

Question:

69 Dr. O'Hanlon asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the additional areas added to the more severely handicapped areas in County Monaghan; the districts not included; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16797/95]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry (Mr. Yates)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 28 and 69 together.

The submission on reclassification of certain areas of the country was lodged with the EU Commission in October 1994. Following discussions with the Commission at which some additional information was provided and certain points clarified in relation to the submission, the Commission agreed in September 1995 to approve the submission in its entirety.

The areas to be reclassified were formally approved at the meeting on 27 October 1995 of the Agricultural Structures and Rural Development, STAR, Committee. Following this, a complete list of all DEDs-townlands was published.

It was never envisaged that the reclassification submission would be approved in time to include the new areas in the 1995 headage schemes, given that it was not lodged with the Commission until October 1994, and even if discussions had not been required, the administrative work within the Commission of obtaining approval would have pushed a final decision beyond the date for receipt of applications for the 1995 schemes.

Areas not included in the recent reclassification failed to meet the criteria which were agreed with the farming organisations in advance of the appeals panel's examination.

As the list of areas both reclassified and not reclassified in Monaghan is quite long, I have arranged for this information to be sent to Deputy O'Hanlon.