Vol. 569 No. 4
165 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the progress being made to include lands at north-west Kilkenny and Laois as disadvantaged; if submissions have been made to the EU or if the matter is still being considered by his Department; the process and timeframe involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17994/03]
There is a commitment in An Agreed Programme for Government to examine, in conjunction with the European Commission, the possibility of extending the current disadvantaged areas classification. The matter has already been raised informally with the European Commission by my officials and it will be further pursued in the context of the mid-term review of the CAP rural development plan later this year.
