Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Under the rural development regulations, each member state must designate areas eligible for payments under the areas of natural constraints, ANC, scheme.  The ANC scheme replaces the previous disadvantaged areas scheme or less favoured areas scheme. The designation of eligible areas under these schemes to date has been based on a range of socioeconomic factors. From 2018, eligible areas must instead be designated using a list of biophysical criteria. In cases where a member state does not introduce this new system for payment, the old scheme remains in place but payments must be phased out on a digressive basis. From Ireland's point of view, this must be avoided.

Under the new system of designation, which I have said must be introduced in 2018, eligible areas will have to be designated on the basis of biophysical criteria.  The criteria set out in the legislation are: low temperature; dryness; excess soil moisture; limited soil drainage; unfavourable texture and stoniness; shallow rooting depth; poor chemical properties; and steep slopes. A number of the criteria will not have an impact on the new designation in Ireland, while others will have a small impact. In effect, the Irish process will be most impacted by soil drainage and soil moisture excess. The Department has commenced work on this project, and relevant technical experts are currently working on sourcing and analysing the data regarding the new criteria. Department officials have also been in contact with the joint research centre and the Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, DG Agri, in the EU Commission in regard to technical issues arising.

Technical work on biophysical criteria in conjunction with the fine tuning and designation of areas of specific constraint processes will produce a new map of areas which are deemed to be eligible. This designation must be signed off by the JRC and DG Agri. The process of moving from the current position with the technical work to the agreement of the designation and of the new scheme with the Commission will be complex and detailed. This analysis will identify areas deemed to be facing natural constraints, which will in parallel be subjected to a refinement process. Once this process is complete, the draft data will provide the basis for the identification of eligible areas for ANC. It is envisaged that stakeholders will be consulted as this process develops. 

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