Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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515. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of hectares of peat land designated as areas of natural constraint land; and the number of hectares in each category. [27619/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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GAEC 2 is a mandatory condition of the payment of the Basic Income Support for farmers (BISS). Its objective is to protect wetlands and peatlands – high carbon soils. The standard provides for a baseline protection for carbon rich soils, while allowing agricultural activity to continue. Parcels with areas of 50% or more peat soil are determined as applicable to GAEC 2.

The Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme is a support measure for farmers under Article 71 of Regulation (EU) No 2021/2115 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 2 December 2021 (Natural or other area-specific constraints).

Support under ANC (excluding off-shore islands) is provided based on the following categories of land:

Category 1 land: The system of farming prevalent in Category 1 is characterised by extensive farming practices focused on livestock management on higher ground.

Category 2 land: The system of farming prevalent in Category 2 is characterised by extensive livestock grazing practices on lower ground.

Category 3 land: The system of farming prevalent in Category 3 is less extensive in nature and characterised by grazing livestock enterprises.

Based on 2024 claim data the area of GAEC 2 (peat land) designated as ANC per category is set out below:

Note that figures for GAEC2 land within the Islands category (11,899ha) are not available at this time.

Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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516. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of recipients of area of natural constraint payments in 2022, 2023 and 2024. [27620/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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The Areas of Natural Constraints scheme provides payments to people farming land in designated areas that face significant hardships from factors such as remoteness, difficult topography, climatic problems, and poor soil conditions.

Support is provided based on the following categories of land:

Category 1 land: The system of farming prevalent in Category 1 is characterised by extensive farming practices focused on livestock management on higher ground.

Category 2 land: The system of farming prevalent in Category 2 is characterised by extensive livestock grazing practices on lower ground.

Category 3 land: The system of farming prevalent in Category 3 is less extensive in nature and characterised by grazing livestock enterprises.

Offshore island land: Island holdings are generally small and fragmented where the potential for intensification is limited and farming is economically marginal, at best.

The information requested by the Deputy is shown in the table below.

It should be noted that payments across several ANC scheme years issue throughout a calendar year. For example, in the calendar year 2024, payment issued against ANC scheme years 2016-2024.

Approximately 95% of beneficiaries paid in a calendar year are in relation to the associated scheme year.

Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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517. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total area of natural constraint amounts paid in 2024; and the breakdown, per categories 1, 2 and 3. [27621/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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The Areas of Natural Constraints scheme provides payments to people farming land in designated areas that face significant hardships from factors such as remoteness, difficult topography, climatic problems, and poor soil conditions.

Support is provided based on the following categories of land:

Category 1 land: The system of farming prevalent in Category 1 is characterised by extensive farming practices focused on livestock management on higher ground.

Category 2 land: The system of farming prevalent in Category 2 is characterised by extensive livestock grazing practices on lower ground.

Category 3 land: The system of farming prevalent in Category 3 is less extensive in nature and characterised by grazing livestock enterprises.

Offshore island land: Island holdings are generally small and fragmented where the potential for intensification is limited and farming is economically marginal, at best.

The information requested by the Deputy is shown in the table below.