Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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1447. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the current areas of natural constraints scheme review with respect to designating eligible areas is expected to be completed; if public representatives and farming organisations will have an opportunity to make submissions following this or if it will be a fait accompli; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1504/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Article 32 of EU Regulation 1305/2013 requires all member states to implement a new system for designating eligible areas under the Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) scheme from 2018 at the latest. At present, eligible land under the scheme is designated by reference to criteria such as stocking density, family farm income, population density and the percentage of the working population engaged in agriculture.

Under the new system of designation which must be introduced in 2018, eligible areas will have to be designated on the basis of biophysical criteria. The criteria set out in the legislation are:

- Low temperature

- Dryness

- Excess soil moisture

- Limited soil drainage

- Unfavourable texture and stoniness

- Shallow rooting depth

- Poor chemical properties

- Steep slope.

My Department has commenced work on this project, and relevant technical experts are currently sourcing and analysing the data in relation to the new criteria. This analysis will identify areas deemed to be facing natural constraints, which will in parallel, be subjected to a refinement process via fine tuning.

Once this process is complete, the draft data will provide the basis for the identification of eligible areas for ANC. It is envisaged that  stakeholders will be consulted as this process develops. The regulatory requirement is for the new system to be implemented for payment under the 2018 scheme.