Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 31 May 2005
352 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if no penalties will be imposed on the single payment application of a person (details supplied) in County Sligo in view of a recent bereavement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17905/05]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department operates a number of schemes which are aimed at developing viable full-time farming.
Under the installation aid scheme which is operated by my Department, a grant of €9,523 is available to farmers under the age of 35 who are set up for the first time in farming and who meet the education and income criteria set out in the scheme. Preliminary applications, IAS 1 forms, must be received within six months from the date of set up to avoid the application of penalties.
Furthermore, the current scheme of early retirement from farming 2000-2006 facilitates full-time farming through the replacement of older farmers by farmers who are able to improve, where necessary, the economic viability of the remaining agricultural holding.
Young trained farmers have priority access to up to 25% of the quota available in a co-operative-dairy's milk quota restructuring scheme. Subject to certain conditions, a young trained farmer who wishes to establish a dairy enterprise but holds no milk quota has priority access to purchase milk quota in the milk quota restructuring scheme as a new entrant to dairying or, if he is already a milk producer, has priority access to additional quota as a recent entrant. A young person who is not a producer may, subject to certain conditions, establish a new entrant-parent milk production partnership provided they are already in milk production.
In addition, any land owner, including a farmer, can avail of 100% grants to afforest land, as well as drawing substantial annual premiums thereafter. Higher rates of premium apply to farmers and are paid for a longer period than for other land owners — 20 years — making the option of a combined farm-forestry enterprise very attractive.
In the event that the herd owner has any further inquiries, they may be addressed to the district veterinary office of my Department, Michael Davitt House, Castlebar, County Mayo, telephone 094 9035300. The relevant local office of Teagasc will also be equipped to offer appropriate advice to the person concerned.
