Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 26 October 2022

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Vision for the Future of Irish Farming: Macra na Feirme

Mr. John Keane:

I might just briefly comment and then ask Mr. Curran to come in. The overarching aspect of that is that because all of the funds in previous rounds have been fully drawn down it is, as the Deputy rightly says, a competitive space to access that funding. The young farmers have found themselves competing with older, more mature businesses which is quite difficult. The ring-fencing of a specific amount of funds within that budget or the establishment of a specific budget for young farmers or young business owners is something we would support as well. Some of our young business owners in rural communities have also said that access to finance is an issue. We have no issue with whichever one it is. The key issue is that it is ring-fenced for them, that it is at low interest and that they have access to it. That it is an option for them as opposed to being priced out.