Ned O'Keeffe (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 124: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when an area (details supplied) in County Cork will be reclassified as severely disadvantaged. [35236/08]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The EU Commission is currently conducting a review of the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme across the Community. Council has mandated the Commission to conduct the review, with the intention of introducing a new system with effect from 2010. The proposal represents a move away from designation based on socio-economic factors, (declining rural population, low productivity and low farm incomes), to a methodology favouring physical characteristics, (soil type, poor climate, slope and altitude of land). Bi-lateral meetings between the Commission and Member States are taking place and following their conclusion the Commission intends to prepare a proposal for submission to the Council of Ministers. It is likely that the proposal will, if adopted by the Commission, be presented to the Council in Spring 2009. My officials and I will continue to work very closely with the Commission and through the Council of Ministers with a view to achieving the optimum outcome for Ireland.