Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 530: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if her attention has been drawn to the fact that only approximately 3 percent of the Border, Midlands and Western Regions is not included in the disadvantaged areas, but that a significant portion of this is in Laois and Offaly; if she plans to address this issue;; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28095/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The position is that the possible extension of Ireland's Disadvantaged Areas to include the Border midland Western region was raised with the European Commission in 2003 and in early 2004. The Commission cautioned however, that a formal request for an extension of the Disadvantaged Areas could lead to Ireland being asked for justification as to whether or not all if its existing areas classified as Disadvantaged continue to meet the criteria.

In mid 2004 the Commission published a draft Regulation on Rural Development which included a new Disadvantaged Areas definition concentrating on significant natural handicaps, notably a low soil productivity or poor climate conditions and where maintaining an extensive farming activity is important for the management of the land. The proposals did not mention the current criteria such as low productivity (as measured by farm incomes) and percentage of the working population in farming.

Following negotiations at the Council of Ministers the Council agreed on 20 June 2005 a new framework for rural development for the period 2007-2013 which provided for the maintenance of the existing arrangements for Disadvantaged Areas until 2010. Before then, the Commission will present a report and proposals to the Council concerning the future payments system and designation of these areas. The question of extension of the Disadvantaged Areas to include all Border Midland Western regions in Ireland can be considered in the context of that review.