asked the Minister for Agriculture the reason the townlands on the Tipperary side of the Knockmealdown Mountains are not included in the more severely handicapped category of the disadvantaged areas scheme, 1985, whereas land of the same type on the County Waterford side of the Knockmealdown Mountains has been designated more severely handicapped; and the reason the same problem also exists with Branahown and Doon which are located in south Tipperary but are not included, whereas lands of similar type on the Cork side of the Knockmealdown have been included.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 16 to 21, inclusive, together.

Issues relating to disadvantaged areas, and to the drawing of boundaries between the more and less severely handicapped parts of those areas, cannot be dealt with on a county-by-county basis because the relevant physical characteristics do not respect county boundaries. The position must be considered in terms of broad regions possessing by and large the characteristics laid down in the basic Directive 75/268/EC and not in terms of the situation on individual farms. The characteristics concerned are: adverse physical handicaps, low economic returns and low or dwindling population depending mainly on agriculture, all three of which must be simultaneously present and proven to the satisfaction of the Community authorities. The adjustments recently proposed by the Commission to the boundaries of our disadvantaged areas represent the maximum possible area meeting these requirements.