Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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191. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether the €15 million to be invested in island communities during the course of the rural development programme as a special payment to assist island farmers in preserving traditional farming methods and preventing land abandonment as outlined on page 114 of the programme for Government is additional to the already operational island top-up on the payment for areas of natural constraint and the Aran life project; if it is, the nature of the projects this funding will be spent on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10962/16]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Ireland’s Rural Development Programme contains two sub-measures which together form the Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme. These are the continuation of the previous support delivered under the Less Favoured Areas Scheme and a new targeted support for island farmers. This support for island farmers was included in the RDP in recognition of the specific constraints island farmers face. For example, island holdings are generally small and fragmented and farming these holdings is a low yield and labour intensive undertaking. In recognition of these constraints, the Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme includes higher rates of payment for island farmers as follows:

- €250 per hectare for the first 20 hectares of island land farmed

- €170 per hectare for hectares 20-34

- €70 per hectare for hectares 34-40

The €15 million commitment in the Programme for Government will underpin these payments and ensure sufficient funding is available in the RDP during the remainder of the term of the programme.