Mr. Thomas Duffy:

Regarding peat soils, the average age is substantially higher, particularly in the west and depending on the enterprises involved. There is no denying that. Unfortunately, this issue is often not considered in the overall encouragement. There are investment supports, but many of those are not oriented towards the extensive and high nature value farming that we tend to find on uplands and peat soils. The young farmers in question are able to benefit from the young farmers top-up payment and so on, but an element that we have consistently raised with the Department in the design of new environmental schemes is that there should be prioritisation and increased ceiling levels for young farmers. We say this because these schemes have higher uptake rates in so-called disadvantaged areas and areas that are considered marginal. We have many members in some of those areas who are farming on commonage. They are progressive and driven young farmers who want to make a living and continue contributing to their local economies and societies. They are being undervalued and unconsidered. We have submitted proposals on the successor to GLAS, whatever that may be.

There should be consideration of higher ceilings for farms or farm partnerships that include someone under the age of 40. The reason for this is simply that we know these young farmers are more driven and have more desire to do it but often they hit the limits of €10,000 under GLAS and €7,500 under the GLAS plus scheme. These are the key elements.

As we have said, the question about the final language in the agreed text will be with regard to protection and appropriate use. We all agree that appropriate use will look very different on peat soils than on mineral soils. Nonetheless, the idea of essentially abandoning our hills will not deliver for rural communities. More importantly, from the perspective of many of the people who are, unfortunately, pushing this idea, it will lead directly to land abandonment, which we know has a major negative impact on the biodiversity of these areas. If we want to keep the good environmental conditions we have and improve them, we need not only to keep farmers on the land but to get more young farmers onto the hills and peatlands.