I propose to take Questions Nos. 189 to 196, inclusive, together.
The Government is committed in the programme for Government, to examine, in conjunction with the Commission, the possibility of extending the disadvantaged areas classification to the whole of the BMW region which includes counties Laois and Offaly.
Officials of my Department have already informally raised the matter on a number of occasions with the European Commission. In these meetings the Commission officials have indicated that any formal request for further classification could lead to a demand for justification of Ireland's current designation and classification for all disadvantaged areas. The Commission's approach has its basis in negative comments by the Court of Auditors concerning the monitoring of disadvantaged area classification and designation in the EU in general.
Given this background, it is important that the timing and nature of any submission requesting extension of the disadvantaged areas be given very careful consideration. An independent evaluation of all CAP rural development plan measures including the disadvantaged areas compensatory allowances scheme has recently been completed. My Department will be formally submitting the evaluation report to the European Commission following the meeting of the CAP rural development plan monitoring committee later this month. In the context of the Commission's consideration of this report, I expect to have a further opportunity to raise the issue of disadvantaged areas classification with the European Commission.