Joe Walsh
Question:300 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if he has submitted the areas for classification as extremely disadvantaged to the EU Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9125/97]
Written Answers - Extremely Disadvantaged Areas.
A submission to establish a new category of extremely disadvantaged areas in Ireland was formally presented to the Commission on 9 October 1996. The Commission is carrying out a technical examination of the submission, and I expect that discussions with the officials of my Department on the proposals will commence in the near future. However, since the proposal envisages additional payments to farmers in the new areas, the implementation of the measures will not involve a separate application from farmers but rather a "top-up" on the normal application in respect of the relevant schemes.