Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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272. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of persons in counties Cavan and Monaghan availing of the areas of natural constraint scheme; the status of the process of reviewing qualifying areas for the areas of natural constraint scheme; if his Department has completed the mapping exercise in counties Cavan and Monaghan; when the maps will be published; the consultation that will be undertaken with representative organisations; if his Department plans to hold public meetings to assist in the best possible engagement by persons in this review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12429/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Under the 2016 ANC scheme there were 4,507 applicants in County Cavan and 3,768 in County Monaghan.

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.

The biophysical criteria set out in the legislation to underpin the new system of designation 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.