25 Million Increase In ANC Payments Funding Welcomed

I welcome the news that an extra 25 million Euro has been allocated for ANC (Areas of Natural Constraint) payments this year. The announcement was made earlier this week and it is a measure that I insited be put into the Programme for Government last year. I will be monitoring the payments to ensure that they are administered fairly especially to farmers in the West of Ireland. Despite this announcement, it is only a part restoration of the cuts that were made when the country was in the economic crisis. There is a commitment to further increase ANC payments in 2018 and I will be insisting that is fully honoured.