Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 379: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the criteria for qualification for the national reserve; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18549/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The four main categories and qualifying criteria for the 2005 Single Payment Scheme National Reserve are as follows: Category A: Farmers who inherited or otherwise obtained a holding free of charge or for a nominal sum from a farmer who retired or died before 16 May 2005 where the holding was leased out to a third party during the reference period.

CategoryB(i) B(ii) B(iii) and B(iv): Farmers who made an investment between 1 January 2000 and 19 October 2003, which resulted in an increase in production capacity. Investments include purchase or long term lease of land, purchase of suckler and/or ewe quota or other investments.

Category C: Farmers who sold their milk quota into a re-structuring scheme between 1 January 2000 and 19 October 2003 and who converted to a farming sector for which a direct payment under the Livestock and/or Arable Aid Schemes would have been payable in respect of the years 2000 to 2002.

Category D: New entrants to farming since 31 December 2002 and farmers who commenced farming in 2002 but who received no direct payments in that year. The applicant's total income could not exceed €40,000 and any off-farm income could not exceed €20,000. Farming qualifications were required for this category.