Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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1. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding the process of reviewing qualifying areas for the areas of natural constraint scheme; if his Department has completed the mapping exercise; when the maps will be published; if he will confirm the reports that the review is being delayed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21350/17]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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This asks the Minister for an update on the review of qualifying areas for the areas of natural constraint scheme, if the Department has completed the mapping process and, if so, when the maps will be published. Do the reports that the scheme review will be delayed at European level have substance and will the Minister update the House on that?

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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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.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister for his response but he did not indicate his own position on a time extension for the current review. It was reported that the Minister and Austria sought this extension. Will he confirm that is the case and why this is so? He indicates that people in the EU are currently considering that request but will the Minister give an update on when they will make a decision? Will it come at an upcoming Council of Ministers meeting or will it be communicated to the Minister?

It sounds as if this is a matter of kicking for touch by the Minister and that he does not really wish to deal with the issue. That is my suspicion, so will he deal with it? If an extension is being considered and if it is granted, will it still be the case that the maps must be submitted by the end of this year? If so, will there be proper consultation with farmers in advance? It is crucial that fairness is brought to the scheme and that we ensure payment levels reflect the constraints on the land for which they are paid.

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The areas of natural constraints or disadvantaged areas payment is enormously significant for almost 100,000 farmers and I or any incumbent in my office would be obliged to take every step possible to protect the payment against anything that threatens it. When there is a review there is a question over what the outcome of the review will be. It would be preferable if we could seek and secure a continuation of the existing arrangements for a period of time, and it is undefined at this stage how long that might be. It would be incumbent on me to pursue that option.

What arose in the context of the refinement of EU regulations dealing with the rural development programme was a request proposed by Austria, which we supported, that this particular proposal would be deferred for a period of time. It is likely to be at least 12 months. The Commission has yet to finalise that. It is part of what is called an omnibus regulation. To the best of my recollection, it was raised at last month's Council of Agriculture Ministers meeting and we supported the Austrian proposal, as did a number of other member states. It is not certain yet whether the Commission will acquiesce in that request, but I believe it would be a good development. It would secure the status quofor a period of time that has yet to be defined. The reason an extension of time for the current scheme is being sought is that various member states are struggling to have the necessary work completed. Some members states have it completed and can opt into the new regime as soon as they are ready, but the Austrian position arose because it is not ready. We are not ready either and if this gives us more time to prepare, that is well and good.

A consultation with the stakeholders will be critical to the preparations at any stage. I have given a commitment to that in the House previously when the Deputy and others have raised this matter. That will continue to be the case.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister indicated that we are not ready, but previously he indicated that he expected to be in a position to come forward with the maps in spring of this year. Certainly, that was indicated last year. Then it was changed to early summer. It is now early summer and the Minister has indicated that he is not ready. Can he elaborate on the state of his unreadiness and on the exact position in that regard? There has been no consultation with the farming community yet in terms of the current position of that mapping exercise, nor have any maps been provided. If an extension is granted at European level, and the Minister indicated that it could be for an indefinite period, will the Minister still have to submit the maps by the end of the year? Also, with regard to the €25 million that is committed for next year, will the Minister give a commitment that it will be allocated in a way that reflects the constraints on the lands for which it is being paid? A reform of the current payment system is required to ensure that there are increased payments in cases where lands have more constraints while at the same time ensuring that the valuable role of the ANC payment in the income of up to 100,000 farmers is protected.

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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On the latter point, the €25 million commitment in the programme for Government is an endeavour to restore payments which were previously withdrawn. Obviously that payment commitment remains, but that is a matter for the budget later this year. It is certainly my intention to deliver on that commitment. It is unclear what the Commission's requirement would be if it amends the regulations in this area. I suspect it would then give member states more time to comply with the regulations. We had hoped that we would have been in a position to publish maps in the summer of this year, as I indicated at all stages. We are not in that space yet. If we get an extension of time it will enable us to meet with the new deadline at greater ease in completing that job of work.

At all stages it will involve consultation with the farming organisations. I appreciate that meetings are being organised the length and breadth of the country by concerned farmers, including farmers who are within the disadvantaged area who fear that they may be excluded under the new bio-physical criteria and farmers who are excluded under the old socio-economic criteria who have an ambition to be included. Obviously the consultation process and the information that will be contained in the Department's analysis in due course will be communicated to farmers at the appropriate time. They will be given an opportunity to engage with officials and myself and my colleague, the Minister of State, at that stage. The process will be the same, but I suspect that if the Commission amends the regulation it will extend the timeline for preparation of the maps.