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

Under the rural development regulation, each member state must designate areas eligible for payments under the areas of natural constraint, ANC, scheme. The ANC scheme replaces the previous disadvantaged areas scheme and less favoured areas scheme. The designation of eligible areas under these schemes to date has been based on a range of socio-economic factors. Under the new rural development regulation, eligible areas must instead be designated using a set list of bio-physical criteria. In cases where a member state does not introduce this new system for payment, the old scheme remains in place but payments must phase out on a digressive basis. A proposal to introduce an optional extension to the 2018 deadline is currently under discussion at European Union level.

The bio-physical criteria set out in the legislation to underpin the new system of designation are low temperature, dryness, excess soil moisture, limited soil drainage, unfavourable texture and stoniness, shallow rooting depth, poor chemical properties and steep slopes. My Department has commenced work on this project and relevant technical experts are currently working on sourcing and analysing the data for the new criteria. Department officials have also been in contact with the Joint Research Centre and DG Agri in the EU Commission about technical issues arising. This analysis will identify areas deemed to be facing natural constraints, which will in parallel be subjected to a refinement process. It is envisaged that stakeholders will be consulted as this process develops.

See this speech in context