A total of 1,091 island farmers received payments under the Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) scheme last year.

The ANC scheme provides payments to people farming land in designated areas who face significant hardships from factors such as remoteness, difficult topography, climatic problems and poor soil conditions.

The numbers are based on the ANC scheme year 2022.

Some 824 island farmers received the higher payment of €250/ha, for up to 20ha, in 2022. However, the average area claimed for this rate was 10.19ha.

A total of 184 farmers received the medium rate of €170/ha for between 20ha and 34ha. The average claimed area was 10.27ha.

Only 83 farmers are receiving the low rate of €70/ha, with an average claimed area of 5.16ha. This rate is paid for land between 34ha and 40ha.

In response to a parliamentary question from Claire Kerrane TD, Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue said: “Island holdings are generally small and fragmented, where the potential for intensification is limited and farming is economically marginal, at best. Farming on the off-shore islands off Ireland is in continuous decline,” he said.

Mainland farmers

Under the scheme, category one land is characterised by extensive farming practices focused on livestock management on higher ground (€148 for the first 12ha and €112 for the remaining 12ha to 34ha).

Some 30,303 farmers are receiving €148/ha on an average claimed area of 10.73ha. For the same category where the payment rate is €112/ha, 22,783 farmers are claiming on average 15.60ha.

Category two land is characterised by extensive livestock grazing practices on lower ground (€111 for the first 10ha and €104 on the remaining 10ha to 30ha).

Some 53,039 farmers are claiming €111 for an average of 9.25 claimed hectares, whereas 42,001 are claiming the lower rate of €104/ha for an average claimed area of 13.24ha.

Category three is less extensive in nature and characterised by grazing livestock enterprises (€93 for the first 8ha and €88.25 on the remaining 8ha to 30ha).

A total of 24,013 farmers claimed the higher rate of €93/ha in 2022, with an average claimed area of 7.56ha.

Some 20,151 farmers received €88.25/ha, with the average claimed area under this aspect of the scheme at 16.01ha.