Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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32. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the criteria being used in an Irish context to determine which areas will be designated as areas of natural constraint and the proposed implementation of the 10% allowance. [4853/17]

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.

In addition, Member States can make certain areas eligible for payment by designating them as areas of specific Constraint.  This designation can be put in place where it is necessary

- for land management to be continued in order to conserve or improve the environment,

- to maintain the countryside,

- to preserve the tourist potential of the area, or

- to protect the coastline.

Areas up to a maximum of 10% of the total area of the member state can be designated as  areas of specific constraint.  This designation was previously used to include offshore islands in the current ANC scheme, and options for its further use in conjunction with the wider redesignation project are currently being examined by my Department.