Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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926. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding amendments to a townland (details supplied) in circumstances in which its status is being considered for change under the disadvantage area scheme which is under review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4917/20]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Under the Rural Development Regulations (and subsequent amendments under the Omnibus Regulation), Member States were required to change the approach to the designation of land under the Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme.

From 2019, eligible areas were instead to be designated using the following list of bio-physical criteria:

- Low temperature

- Dryness

- Excess soil moisture

- Limited soil drainage

- Unfavourable texture and stoniness

- Shallow rooting depth

- Poor chemical properties

- Steep slope

Following the completion of this process in late 2018, the vast majority of land that was eligible under the previous criteria remained eligible under the new approach. Over 2,000 additional townlands also became eligible to receive a payment under the scheme with effect from 2019.

Some 700 townlands that would have previously been eligible were not eligible under the new designation. Farmers who were impacted financially by this change were eligible to receive a degressive phasing out payment in 2019 and 2020.

An independently chaired Appeals Committee was appointed to examine any requests received by my Department from farmers for a full review on the status of a townland following the re-designation of townlands under the 2019 ANC Scheme.

An appeal in relation to the townland in question was received by the Committee. The outcome of this appeal will be notified to the relevant farmer following the completion of the work of the Appeals Committee. It is anticipated this work will be completed shortly.