Paudge Connolly (Cavan-Monaghan, Independent)
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Question 338: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if she proposes to seek the designation of the remaining 16% of County Monaghan as severely handicapped; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14042/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The classification of all of County Monaghan as "more severely handicapped" has cleared all the hurdles in Brussels, as was announced last week by my colleague, the Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture and Food, Deputy Brendan Smith.

I am extremely pleased at this news which meets a commitment made to the social partners in Sustaining Progress. The agreement of the European Commission to my Department's proposals means that some 750 farmers in the 322 townlands involved in County Monaghan will receive the higher €88.88 per hectare more severely handicapped rate of payment from 2005 on as compared to the lower €76.18 less severely handicapped rate per hectare which they have been receiving up to now.

These 750 beneficiaries farming around 12,500 hectares will receive between them an additional €160,000 each year as a result. Assuming they are eligible for compensatory allowances, all they have to do this year to qualify for the higher payment rate is complete their single payment application form in exactly the same way as they would have completed it if they were still only going to receive payments at the lower rate.