Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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704. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the timeframe to produce maps and for discussions with stakeholders and the European Commission in relation to the areas of natural constraint review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11567/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Under the Rural Development Regulation each Member State must designate areas eligible for payments under the Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) scheme.  The ANC scheme replaces the previous Disadvantaged Areas Scheme / Less Favoured Areas Scheme.  The designation of eligible areas under these schemes to date has been based on a range of socio-economic factors. From 2018 eligible areas must instead be designated using a set list of bio-physical criteria. In cases where a Member State does not introduce this new system for payment, the old scheme remains in place but payments must phase out on a digressive basis.

Under the new system of designation which as I have said 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 working on sourcing and analysing the data in relation to the new criteria. Department officials have also been in contact with the Joint Research Centre (JRC) and DG Agri in the EU Commission in relation to technical issues arising.  Over the coming months this analysis will identify areas deemed to be facing natural constraints, which will in parallel be subjected to a refinement process.  It is envisaged that stakeholders will be consulted as this process develops.