Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this issue for the Topical Issue Debate and welcome the Minister of State, Deputy McEntee, who will take it. Next week is the closing date for the single payment forms and there is a certain amount of anxiety in my area of west Galway, in particular in Connemara, in regard to the changes in the stocking rate eligibility for the disadvantaged areas scheme, that is, the increase from 0.15 to 0.3 livestock units per hectare. I have explained to many people at IFA meetings and elsewhere that there is an appeals mechanism and that for areas of Connemara and for farmers in Connermara who are farming commage land, SAC or other designated land and, indeed, environmentally sensitive land that a lower stocking rate will be allowed, that is, lower than the 0.3 livestock units per hectare. Will the Minister of State provide that reassurance to farmers in Connemara that this appeals mechanism is there?

In terms of a time line, I am concerned that applications from farmers caught between the 0.15 and 0.3 livestock units per hectare will be left and that it will be Christmas before they receive payments. They need to be fast-tracked in some way over the summer to ensure these delays do not take place in the autumn.

Last Thursday my constituency colleague, Deputy Ó Cuív, made comments that what should have happened to save money was that certain dairy farmers should have been excluded from eligibility for the disadvantaged areas scheme. He said large dairy farmers but he did not specify what he meant by "large". There are no dairy farmers in Connemara but there are many in east Galway and the eastern part of west Galway in good farming areas such as Athenry, Carnmore, Oranmore, Turloughmore and Claregalway. I am hugely concerned that this is Deputy Ó Cuív's view. Dairy farmers should be reassured that the Minister, Deputy Coveney, the Minister of State, Deputy McEntee, and this Government will protect those farmers in terms of receiving their disadvantaged areas scheme payments.

See this speech in context