Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister. It is important that two agricultural schemes which were abandoned some time ago are restored. These are the installation aid scheme for young farmers and the retirement packages for farmers seeking to retire. The capacity for farmers to manage the changeover of family farms is of vital importance to the future of farming in this country. Young people must be facilitated where they wish to assume the responsibility of running the family farm. The unfortunate reality is that farming is now largely a part-time concern because it is so hard to make a living. In the majority of cases, family farms do not provide sufficient income and farmers are obliged to supplement their resources through other means.

I hope the Minister will do all he can to restore both of those schemes, which deal with the two ends of the scale, namely, young farmers starting out and those who wish to retire and pass the farm on to a younger family member. The future of Irish farming depends on young people retaining an interest and being supported to exercise that interest. The State must assist them to get going and offer enticement to parents to retire.