asked the Minister for Agriculture if his attention has been drawn to the situation whereby hill and mountain farmers are eligible for a grant in respect of fencing of land which is not reclaimed, that such farmers are not eligible for a grant in respect of the fencing of reclaimed land although the fencing would be carried out under a farm modernisation programme; if he will take steps to correct this anomaly; and if he will make a statement in the matter.

I appreciate that there is an anomaly regarding boundary fencing grants under the farm modernisation scheme. This and other aspects of the scheme are being examined in the context of proposals for modification of the EEC directive on which our scheme is based, and appropriate adjustments will be made in the light of the decisions taken on these proposals.