Vol. 511 No. 6
214 Mr. Crawford asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the reasons each of the townlands (details supplied) in County Monaghan were not reclassified as more severely handicapped; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25258/99]
The townlands in question were considered by the disadvantaged areas appeals panel as part of its overall examination of areas for reclassification as more severely handicapped. The criteria used to assess areas for more severely handicapped status were agreed between the disadvantaged areas appeals panel, the farming organisations and my Department, as follows: income had to be less that 60 per cent of national average income; land quality had to be four or lower on a scale of 0 to 9; and the area had to be contiguous to the existing more severely handicapped boundary.
The EU Commission made it clear in discussions that the contiguity criterion would not be satisfied by areas which barely touched the existing MSH boundary and-or extended away from the boundary in long fingers of land.
Aghadrumkeen, Aghnacue, Corranewy, Dernaroy, Drumate and Mullagreenan in DED Aghabog, Liscumiskey in DED Drumhillagh, and Drumgarley in DED Killeevan were all rejected because the income in each case exceeded the limit of 60 per cent of national average income. These townlands, except for Drumate, all adjoined the existing MSH area.
Aghabog, Carolina, Drollagh, Mullymagaraghan and Rakeevan all satisfied the income criterion but did not adjoin the existing MSH boundary.
