Michelle Mulherin (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister to the House to discuss this important issue. It is an emotive one for many farmers. It is obvious why that is the case. Owing to European designation, farmers have to deal with the issue of the designation of lands as special areas of conservation or special protection areas, which limits what they can do with the land and, invariably, that land is naturally constrained, meaning it is less productive. In many ways farmers can perceive that they are caught on all sides. Therefore, to compensate or assist farmers in those circumstances who have poor, marginal land, the payment under the ANC scheme is vital.

We have been considering something in the vein of this payment, which has been ongoing since 1975, and now we are considering a change to the criteria. With the move from socio-economic to biophysical criteria, naturally farmer are nervous about what that will mean for them on their farms and for their families and farm income. The 2015 Teagasc national farm survey, which highlights the low incomes of farmers in general but particularly hill farmers who have been mentioned, indicates that farmers have an average income of only €283 per week, which is well below the industrial wage. That puts into context the challenges facing farmers.

I welcome the support from the Minister and Government that the review would be extended because of the new criteria. I also welcome that there may be a more full discussion of what is a fair distribution of the payment to farmers, bearing in mind some are more constrained, or have their hands tied, more than others in that some land is much poorer than other land, and that we might arrive at a fairer distribution of the payment. It also gives certainty to farmers for 2018.At the IFA health farming forum yesterday in Connemara, its president, Mr. Joe Healy, had the same request, which I would support. On the €25 million increase in the ANC payments which has been identified in the programme for Government, can we - notwithstanding and assuming that this review is extended and that the deadline would be extended to 2019 - in effect see this payment being rolled out to farmers even in advance of the conclusion of the review so that that money can actually be spent? It is much needed.

I have a question for when the review takes place if additional land is included, which it looks like there will be, and I know there is a grading of land and payments. At this juncture I would like to welcome the significant work of the Minister's predecessor, Deputy Simon Coveney, and the work he did in negotiating an additional category of payment under the rural development plan which rightly saw offshore islands benefit from a more significant rate than less constrained and less disadvantaged farmers. I think that was a positive step forward, and we need that nuanced approach for fairness.

Going back to my question, if we have additional land, will there be some recognition of that in the form of an increase of budget to allow for the fact that some people who are operating with difficult land, who should rightfully be within the ANC scheme, might also be included? One of the previous speakers also mentioned this. On the issue of land reclamation and farmers who have done much to improve their lands and make them more productive, how might they be dealt with going forward? People who are proactive and do what they can do should not necessarily be penalised compared with somebody who does not. I would like to hear the Minister's thoughts on that.

I thank the Minister for addressing us today and attending to take our questions in the Chamber. I look forward to his response.