Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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470. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if approval will be given to an emergency top up to the areas of natural constraint payment for farmers under severe financial pressure due to incessant rain fall in recent months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42790/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The Areas of Natural Constraint (ANC) Scheme is a very important source of financial support for farmers across the country, paying over €200 million each year to over 95,000 farmers.The Programme for a Partnership Government provides for a commitment of a €25 million increase in funding for the Scheme in 2018.  This now falls for consideration in the context of discussions on Budget 2018. 

The 2017 ANC payments commenced on 19 September and to date, €176 million has been paid to in excess of 81,500 farmers. Payments are continuing on a rolling basis as more farmers satisfy eligibility and stocking rate requirements. 

I am pleased to note that 2017 payments are ahead of where they were this time last year.