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

In an area like Connemara, this represents approximately 50% of farmers and will take a possible €3 million of ANC, DAS and single farm payments out of Connemara. It will remove €15 million from farmers nationally and will have a huge effect on the economy. Deputy Kyne and I are both arguing that the farmers should be allowed to sort this out among themselves and that as long as farmers make sure the hills are kept in good agricultural condition, it will be their business who puts animals and what animals are put on the hill.

Let us take as an example a commonage of 500 hectares, over 1,000 acres. Let us presume 100 farmers are entitled to that commonage, which allows 5 hectares for each farmer.

See this speech in context