Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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1602. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason inspectors training changed in 2017 from the years 2015 to 2016 whereby inspectors are now examining agricultural areas, especially wet or marshy agricultural areas with a view to these been omitted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26707/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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There has been no change in the treatment of wet marshy land since the publication of  “A Guide to Land Eligibility” booklet in 2015.  A copy of this booklet was sent to all farmers in 2015.

For land to be eligible for the area-based schemes it must be “agricultural area” or “agricultural land”. This is clearly stated in Basic Payment scheme terms and conditions and in the booklet. The booklet describes the type of land that is agricultural area/land and the type of land that is not agricultural area/land. The booklet  also clearly sets out “areas requiring total exclusion” which includes “marshy or wet areas”. The booklet further demonstrates, by means of photographs, “ineligible- non agricultural marshy area” and “ineligible – non agricultural bog area”.