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

The Department's figures indicate that 50% of the farmers who farm commonage lands do not own sheep and that this means that 50% of farmers are not grazing the hills. This is a subject Deputy Kyne would know about and that I know about as a Deputy representing Galway West. The Minister is now telling us that the farmers who are claiming the hill, but who have cattle on the lowland will not be able to get single farm payment on that hill land. That single farm payment would, effectively, be double their payment on the lowland, which means the gains the Minister mentioned are illusory, like most of the gains he speaks about. Not alone that, they will not be able to get areas of natural constraint, ANC, or disadvantaged areas scheme, DAS, payments on that land.

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