Martin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Kent and Mr. Finan for their presentations. I believe there is unanimous support on this committee, but where it goes from here will pose the difficulty. The Department and the Minister, deliberately or otherwise, are discriminating against old young farmers.

Up to 3,800 farmers will be affected by this. Mr. Kenneth O’Brien said his entitlement was €780 for 32 hectares, working out at €28 per hectare. All of us know that if it were not for the entitlements, many in the sector would not be able to survive. How one can survive on that payment is baffling. It is an indictment of the system and how it has failed these farmers.

The money will have to be found to remedy this. We are trying to get more young people involved in the farming sector. When one has this example of discrimination hanging out there, however, it is an awful disincentive to young people. Have the associations been advised legally on this? Has any legal advice been sought on it?

Mr. Seán Finan stated: "Individual farmers should move from a historic basis to a 'rolling reference year' basis whereby farmers would continue to be paid a basic payment but based upon their current level of farming activity." Would that be based on production or effort? If it were based on production, then it would affect farmers on marginal land and so forth. Their activity is just as strong and committed as that of farmers on good arable land. Will Mr. Finan clarify that for me?