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

Article 32 of EU Regulation 1305/2013 requires all member states to implement a new system for designating eligible areas under the ANC scheme from 2018 at the latest. Currently, eligible land under the scheme is designated by reference to criteria such as stocking density, family farm income, population density and the percentage of the working population engaged in agriculture. Under the 2015 ANC scheme, 1,319 holdings in County Meath were eligible for the scheme.

Under the new system of designation that 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 slope. My Department has commenced work on this project and relevant technical experts are sourcing and analysing the data in respect of the new criteria. 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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