asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the criteria used in the survey undertaken in County Waterford in the review of disadvantaged areas.
Written Answers. - Disadvantaged Areas Review.
33.
The criteria used in the last survey for designating areas as disadvantaged in County Waterford, as in all other areas of the country, are laid down in Council Directive 25/350/EEC, concerning the list of less-favoured farming areas within the meaning of Council Directive 75/268/EEC (Ireland) and are as follows:
(a) The presence of infertile land, as referred to in Article 3 (4) (a) of Directive 75/268/EEC is defined as percentage of ploughed area less than 7.8 per cent and a stocking rate of less than one adult bovine livestock unit per forage hectare;
(b) The concept of economic results of farming appreciably below average, as referred to in Article 3 (4) (b) of Directive 75/268/EEC, is defined in terms of family farm income per male worker not exceeding 80 per cent of the national average;
(c) Low population density, as referred to in Article 3 (4) (c) of Directive 75/268/EEC, is defined as not more than 27 inhabitants per square kilometre (national and Community averages being 49 and 163 inhabitants per square kilometre respectively) with a minimum percentage of the total working population engaged in agriculture of 30 per cent.
All criteria must be met simultaneously before an area can be classified as disadvantaged.