Michael Colreavy (Sligo-North Leitrim, Sinn Fein)

The EU has put its money where its mouth is in trying to prevent over-grazing and soil erosion, particularly in disadvantaged area schemes along the western seaboard and blanket bogs. The Government seems to be going in the opposite direction, however. If one increases stocking density and duration there is a risk that land will be damaged because not all of it is fit for the proposed stocking densities. The Minister has said there will be an appeals process and that no genuine farmers, as he put it, will be turned down. Nonetheless, how many people who qualified under the existing stocking levels and durations will be ineligible under the new guidelines? I have not been able to get an answer to that question.

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