A farming organisation and local politicians have called for all of Laois and Offaly to be reclassified as a disadvantaged area, which would reportedly give the area about €8.5 million in grant aid to some farmers.
The Department of Agriculture has said any review of the counties' classification would have to be done at EU level, "but there is no review proposed".
Eight election candidates took part in a public meeting this week in Tullamore, organised by the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers' Association. Its general secretary, Mr Eddie Punch, said there was widespread support at the meeting for disadvantaged area payments for all farmers in the counties. He is calling for the reclassification of the counties.
The most recent review in 1996 resulted in 75 per cent of all land being classified as disadvantaged, the Department said.
An Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) spokesman said it wanted a "re-examination of disadvantaged areas" in the State, and had told the Minister of State for rural development, Mr Eamon Ó Cuiv, that some areas meeting disadvantaged areas criteria in the past had been "unfairly treated".
According to figures from the Department of Agriculture, 52 per cent of Laois and 74 per cent of Offaly are classified as disadvantaged. The Department said about 1,650 farmers in Laois, and 2,300 in Offaly qualify for compensatory allowances.
Individual farmers would receive up to €2,700 each if the region in which he worked was classified as disadvantaged. A "significant amount" of farmers would be entitled to the maximum amount, he said.