Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 July 2016
733. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total programme funding allocated to the payments under the areas of natural constraints, ANC, scheme in each year over the 2014-2020 period in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24118/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraTotal allocated funding in respect of Payments under the Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) Scheme under the 2014-2020 Rural Development Programme is €1,370m, or annually €195m.
The 2016 Revised Estimates have committed an additional €7m in funding under ANC 2016. The Programme for a Partnership Government sets out the commitment to increase the budget for the ANC Scheme by €25m in Budget 2018. In parallel, the Rural Development Regulation requires all Member States to designate eligible areas under the ANC Scheme by reference to new biophysical criteria by 2018. The technical work underlying this process is currently underway, and the additional €25m will be integrated into the resultant scheme design process in 2018.
