Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 26 February 2014
197. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on correspondence (details supplied); the actions he plans or has instigated to overcome the major problems being encountered by a young farmer seeking to supplement an income for their family; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9815/14]
View answerThe definition of ‘young farmer’ under the new Direct Payments Regulation that will come into force in 2015 includes the criteria that such persons are aged 40 or less in their first year of application and that they have established their holding within five years of their first application under the Basic Payment Scheme. Persons who meet the definition of ‘young farmer’ under the new Direct Payment Regulation will be eligible both to apply to the National Reserve for an allocation of new entitlements or a top-up on the value of existing entitlements and also to participate in the Young Farmers Scheme. The essential purpose of the ‘young farmer’ category under the Direct Payment Regulation is to assist young farmers in the initial stages of establishing a farming enterprise in their own name and to encourage generational renewal. It is for this reason that the payment is restricted to those who are establishing or have established such a holding in the previous five years. Based on the information supplied, it would seem that the person concerned does not meet the criteria to qualify as a young farmer for the purposes of Direct Payments.
In January I also announced details in relation to the financing for the new Rural Development Programme (RDP), 2014-2020 as well as proposals for support measures under the RDP. The development of a new RDP will be a key support in enhancing the competitiveness of the agri-food sector, achieving more sustainable management of natural resources and ensuring a more balanced development of rural areas. The proposed measures include specific support for young farmers undertaking specific capital investments. However, a range of other measures have been proposed which will provide important supports for farmers regardless of whether they qualify as young farmers. These include a new Agri-Environmental and Climate Change Scheme (GLAS), continued support for farmers in Areas of Natural Constraint (formerly known as Less Favoured Areas), a range of knowledge transfer measures, support for on farm capital investment, a major new Beef Data and Genomics Programme, as well as a number of supports for collaborative and quality focused schemes. These proposed measures will provide key supports to farmers, including young farmers, and are currently the subject of an ongoing public consultation.
