Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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800. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the estimated amount of funding that will be allocated to the areas of natural constraint scheme in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34695/20]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The budget for the Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme has received a number of significant increases in recent years, with an increase of €25 million being allocated to the scheme in 2018 and an additional €23 million being allocated in 2019.

These increases have brought the total budget for the scheme to €250 million per annum. This represents a recognition of the importance of the scheme to the rural economy and the farmers that farm lands designated as disadvantaged/constrained. As part of the recent budgetary process, an allocation of €250 million was secured for this important scheme in 2021.