Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Michael Creed. I raise this issue today in the context of budget 2018 and the difficulties the Minister, and every Minister, will have with competing demands. This matter relates to the areas of natural constraint payment where funding of approximately €200 million is available from the Department towards the most severely disadvantaged lands and the farmers who farm those lands, whether they are constrained by coastal issues, hill farming, the altitude of the land, the marginal nature of the land, or the low stocking density. They have argued for a long time, as have the farming organisations, that it is essential that the programme for Government recommendation or agreement for an additional €25 million is made available.

I raise this issue in the context of the forthcoming budget. I know the Minister cannot divulge what he may or may not do, but I wish to highlight the need, if it is at all possible, to make that money available for 2018. These areas are farmed and the first 10 ha of the payment is front loaded at around €109.71 per hectare. After 10 ha, it goes back to between €95 and €99 per hectare. It is argued that there will be additional front loading done and if possible this front loading would increase from 10 ha to 20 ha. This would be of significant benefit to the most marginal farmers in the State. According to Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine figures, I understand some 30,000 such farms exist. They are constrained and they are custodians of the most rural parts of Ireland. I hope that additional moneys can be made available under the scheme, which is aimed at supporting the most marginal land. I hope there will be some good news in the coming weeks in that regard.