Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 523: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food her plans to extend the disadvantaged area in any new negotiations with the European Commission. [19173/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The negotiations on the rural development framework for 2007 to 2013 are expected to conclude next week. It will be then for the individual member states to formulate their national rural development strategies and programmes. Allied to these developments, the possibility of seeking an extension to the disadvantaged areas can be borne in mind. I should point out, however, that the new regulatory framework could preclude an extension pending the adoption of new classification criteria. It will also be recalled that the EU Commission indicated previously that an application for an extension would not be considered in isolation and would result in a review of all our disadvantaged areas.