Vol. 459 No. 1
104 Mrs. O'Rourke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the earlier designation area by area in County Westmeath in relation to the disadvantaged areas scheme; and the recent changes area by area for County Westmeath. [17918/95]
The first designation of land in County Westmeath as less favoured occurred as part of the third review of disadvantaged areas, in 1985, with the designation of over 13,700 hectares as less severely handicapped.
In the fourth review, in 1991, some 107,800 hectares were designated as less severely handicapped bringing the total less favoured areas to 69 per cent of the county. In addition, over 4,000 hectares, 2.4 per cent, were reclassified as more severely handicapped.
The review of areas which I announced on 27 October had the effect of reclassifying a further 16,800 hectares as more severely handicapped, bringing the total in this category to almost 12 per cent of the land area of County Westmeath.
As the list of areas in County Westmeath is quite lengthy, I have arranged for a copy to be sent to the Deputy, on which the year of designation and reclassification is shown for each relevant townland.
