Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I submitted a written parliamentary question last week but I am still confused by the answer I received. I ask the Minister to clarify the issue on the floor of the House. In terms of the basic payment, the rural development plan stipulates that a farmer on marginal land must keep the equivalent of one ewe to 1.5 hectares, with exceptions for designated land. That is a very low stocking rate and in fact, most farmers would keep the equivalent of one ewe to 1 hectare. Will the farmers all be obliged to put some of their stock on the marginal land or the commonage? For reasons of viability, some older farmers do not bother using the hills and only use the lowland; other farmers benefit from that because they can then put more stock up on the hills. Between Jack Sprat and the wife, they get the job done.

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