Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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401. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers that have yet to receive areas of natural constraints, ANC, payments by county in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40931/18]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Payments under the 2018 Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) scheme commenced, on schedule, on 18 September 2018 with payments of €185.6 million issuing to some 77,000 applicants. To date in excess of €194.4 million has issued to over 80,600 applicants.

While the total number of applicants under the 2018 scheme who have the minimum level of designated land is 100,339 it should be noted that the number of applicants actually paid on an annual basis is generally between 95,000 and 96,000. This is because many applicants fail to fulfil the scheme eligibility criteria either on area required or on stocking density and retention requirements. In such instances no ANC payment can issue. Some other applicants only qualify for payment towards the end of the year and pay runs will continue on a regular basis as further cases are cleared for payment.

The number of applicants paid to date is as follows -