Denis Naughten
Ceist:259 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason farmers with less than three hectares of land are ineligible for area aid related payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5302/99]
Written Answers. - Grant Payments.
Denis Naughten
Ceist:260 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the number of applicants in 1998 deemed ineligible for area aid related payments due to the fact that they claimed for less than three hectares of land; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5303/99]
Denis Naughten
Ceist:261 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the plans, if any, he has to remove the three hectares restriction on area aid applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5304/99]
I propose taking Questions Nos. 259, 260 and 261 together.
Under the relevant EU regulation governing the disadvantaged areas schemes in all member states, a farmer must farm at least three hectares of utilized agricultural land in a disadvantaged area in order to qualify for payment of disadvantaged areas livestock grants. Farmers may qualify for ewe, suckler cow, special beef and extensification premia, however, if they have less than three hectares, as there is no corresponding minimum area prescribed in the EU regulations governing these schemes.
There were 497 applicants in 1998 under the disadvantaged areas schemes who were deemed ineligible for payment of headage grants because they declared less than three hectares of land.
There are no proposals to remove the requirement that applicants under the disadvantaged areas schemes must farm at least three hectares.