Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 May 2019
16. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason for the change in land eligibility for farmers in cases in which land qualified under biophysical constraint (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20094/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the current Rural Development Regulation (and subsequent amendments under the Omnibus Regulation), Member States were required to change the approach to the designation of land under the Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) Scheme. Previously my Department had been identifying eligible areas using a range of socio economic indicators such as family farm income, population density, percentage of working population engaged in agriculture, and stocking density.
From 2019, eligible areas must instead be designated using the following list of bio-physical criteria:
- Low temperature
- Dryness
- Excess soil moisture
- Limited soil drainage
- Unfavourable texture and stoniness
- Shallow rooting depth
- Poor chemical properties
- Steep slope
In tandem with the process to designate relevant lands under these biophysical criteria process, Member States were also required to undertake a fine tuning process. This process was required to identify areas where significant natural constraints were identified with reference to the above listed biophysical criteria, but where objective criteria, such as arable land use or stocking density levels, would indicated that these constraints have been overcome.
Finally, Member States could also identify areas for inclusion as Areas of Specific Constraint where it is necessary for land management to be continued in order to conserve or improve the environment, to maintain the countryside, to preserve the tourist potential of the area, or to protect the coastline.
There has been no change to the above elements of the process as set out in the Rural Development Regulation. The completion of the work in this regard was a lengthy project, involving protracted technical engagements with DG for Agriculture and Rural Development and the Joint Research Centre in the EU Commission. The technical process was completed in late 2018 and, at that time, further to a series of consultation meetings with key stakeholders, I published full details in relation to the outcome of the review project, which can be summarised as follows.
The vast majority of land that was eligible under the existing Scheme remains eligible under the new approach. Some 700 townlands that would have previously been eligible are not eligible under the new designation. Farmers impacted financially by this change will receive a degressive phasing out payment in 2019 and 2020. Over 2,000 townlands will now be eligible under the new approach and will be eligible to receive a payment for the first time in 2019.
Further to the completion of the redesignation process, my Department wrote to all farmers holding ANC lands advising them of the status of these lands under the 2019 ANC scheme and advised of their right to appeal this position. An appeals process, overseen by an independently chaired Appeals Committee, is in place for any farmer who wishes to appeal the status of a particular townland in the 2019 ANC scheme.
