Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 22 May 1996

Vol. 465 No. 7

Written Answers. - Disadvantaged Area Status.

Hugh Byrne

Question:

121 Mr. H. Byrne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if he has submitted any lands in County Wexford for inclusion in disadvantaged area status under the appeals system since taking office; the representations, if any, he has received from farmers who believe their land met all the necessary criteria and believed their land should be included under this status; the measures, if any, he has taken to include such land under the disadvantaged area status; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10501/96]

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

The current review of disadvantaged areas was initiated by the appointment of an independent disadvantaged areas appeals panel in 1991.

The panel requested submissions from individuals and groups who wished to have their areas considered for inclusion in the disadvantaged areas. A survey of all areas for which appeals were received was carried out in 1992, and the panel made its recommendations on the basis of an exhaustive analysis of the data returned by farmers who were surveyed. All the areas which were found to satisfy the criteria for less favoured area status were included in the recommendations. A proposal based on the panel's findings was forwarded to the EU Commission in November 1993.

Given that the appeals panel was an independent body, whose recommendations had been submitted to the EU Commission before I took up office as Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry, I was not in a position to submit a separate proposal on disadvantaged areas in respect of County Wexford or, indeed, any other county. All negotiations with the Commission to date have been concerned with the panel's original proposals.