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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 5 Jun 1996

Vol. 466 No. 4

Written Answers. - Extremely Severely Handicapped Areas.

Séamus Hughes

Ceist:

271 Mr. Hughes asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when an application for extremely severely handicapped areas will be submitted to Brussels; the counties affected by this proposal; the anticipated increased payments that will be allowed when the proposal is approved; the estimated timeframe for approval; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11539/96]

The areas of the country which will be proposed for reclassification as extremely severely handicapped are being examined. The criteria by which these areas will be selected include the presence of a high proportion of extermely poor land which could be described as rough grazing land, and also the presence of excessive climatic conditions such as higher levels of rainfall and wind speed than elsewhere.

The selection of the specific areas is being facilitated by the use of satellite imagery, which helps to clearly define the boundaries of rough grazing land. It is expected that this exercise will be completed and a proposal sent to the EU Commission by mid-summer. Given the necessity for the Commission to examine the proposal, I expect that the new areas will be approved and announced in time for the 1997 headage schemes.

Various proposals for the increased headage payments in the new areas are being examined, and it is not possible to say at this stage precisely by now much the level of grants will be varied. The increased benefits for extremely severely handicapped areas will be funded from within the envelope for headage payments under the Structural Funds.
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