Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Question 390: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers in receipt of the disadvantaged area payment in County Mayo; the cumulative amount received in the years 2009, 2010 and to date in 2011; and the way the proposed reductions will impact on each claimant. [39723/11]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Question 391: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers in receipt of the disadvantaged area payment in County Sligo; the cumulative amount received in the years 2009, 2010 and to date in 2011; the way the proposed reductions will impact in each claimant. [39724/11]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Question 392: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers in receipt of the disadvantaged area payment in County Leitrim; the cumulative amount received in the years 2009, 2010 and to date in 2011; the way the proposed reductions will impact in each claimant. [39725/11]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Question 393: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers in receipt of the disadvantaged area payment in County Roscommon; the cumulative amount received in the years 2009, 2010 and to date in 2011; the way the proposed reductions will impact in each claimant. [39726/11]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Question 394: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers in receipt of the disadvantaged area payment in County Donegal; the cumulative amount received in the years 2009, 2010 and to date in 2011; the way the proposed reductions will impact in each claimant. [39727/11]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 390 to 394, inclusive, together.

The Disadvantaged Areas Scheme is very important for this country, as the total area designated as disadvantaged is almost 75% of Ireland's total land area. From an economic perspective, the Scheme is particularly significant, contributing to the support of almost 100,000 applicants, whose ability to farm is restricted by the physical environment and, in particular, the impact of the prevailing wet cold climatic conditions.

However, in light of the recognised, ongoing difficulties in the public finances, savings had to be found in my Department's 2012 budget, in the context of which a decision was taken to limit the spend under the 2012 Scheme €190 million. To achieve this saving, priority is given to active farmers and a range of adjustments to the qualifying criteria are under consideration, including:

· increasing the minimum stocking density requirement, from 0.15

livestock units per hectare to 0.30 livestock units per hectare;

· doubling the minimum retention period from three to six months;

· excluding horses from the stocking density calculation;

· providing for reduced rates of aid where applicants hold both eligible and

ill-eligible land (non-Disadvantaged Areas land);

· excluding land located more than 80 kilometres from an applicant's main

holding where that main holding is situated outside the Disadvantaged

Areas.

I would emphasise that these changes are not yet confirmed and their potential impact is still being considered, therefore is not possible to give numbers of farmers affected. Furthermore, given that the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme is part of the wider Rural Development Programme 2007/2013, it will be necessary to obtain Commission for any changes beforehand.

The following tabular statement details the numbers of farmers in receipt of payments under the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme and the value of their payments, in respect of 2009, 2010 and 2011 (to date), for counties Mayo, Sligo, Leitrim, Roscommon and Donegal:

In relation to the proposed changes it will be open to individual farmers to alter their farming activities to meet the new requirements. I will also make provision, if the proposed changes are adopted by the Commission, to cater for farmers with a stocking density of less than 0.3 livestock units per hectare in 2011. Account will be taken of farmers who into any of the following categories and had a lower stocking density in 2011 due any of the following reasons:

· Participation in an Agri-Environmental Scheme, which required a lower stocking density.

· Participation in other Agri-Environmental measures, which required a

lower stocking density.

· Lower stocking density due to an illness or death in the family.

· Lower stocking density due to animal disease.

· New entrants to farming will also be covered.