Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the rules in relation to split holdings under the disadvantage area based scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3490/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The factors taken into account when examining whether an applicant under the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme is operating a separate holding and, therefore, entitled to aid if all other Scheme criteria are met, include the following: separate herd numbers; herds maintained separately; herds handled separately in separate handling facilities; separate Area Aid declarations; separate Agri-Environment Scheme applications, where applicable; stock-proofed boundaries; independent access to holdings; separate farm accounts/financial records/other documentary evidence; ration and silage stored and fed in separate farm yard facilities; or any other relevant issue.

In addition, changes to the Terms and Conditions of the 2012 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme included the introduction of a Differential Rate of Aid. This applies where an applicant’s main holding/residence is situated in a non-DAS area and where some of that applicant’s declared land is non-disadvantaged land and results in a digressive rate of aid payable on the ratio of non-disadvantaged/disadvantaged lands farmed. In addition, a restriction was introduced in relation to the distance from the main holding; where the applicant’s main holding/residence is situated in a non-DAS area, land situated more than 80 kilometres from an applicant’s main holding is not eligible under the 2012 Scheme.