Joe Flaherty (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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I thank all of the speakers for coming here. We have a great collection of brains in front of us and we are nearly overwhelmed.

I wish to focus on the two issues of ACRES and the so-called "forgotten farmer". Both issues were addressed to some degree by my colleague, Deputy Fitzmaurice. I, too, have an issue with the criteria outlined concerning Macra in terms of the six points of the criteria. I have not had as extensive an engagement with farmers as Deputy Fitzmaurice but I am of the same view because any farmers I have spoken to have the same issue, which is that they would not meet all six criteria. Obviously the expectation and hope is that rather than all six criteria having to be met, it would be a case where one could meet four of five of the criteria.

I wish to single out one of the criteria, namely the requirement for a FETAC level 6 qualification. I have raised this issue with the Minister by tabling a parliamentary question that asked why there is a need to have a level 6 qualification. He duly replied: "The list of approved education courses for young farmer supports administered by my Department is based on the list of courses approved for Stamp Duty relief for young farmers. This list of courses is set out in the Stamp Duties Consolidation Act, 1999, and the updated list of courses is published by the Office of the Revenue Commissioners in their Stamp Duty Manual."

The issue is that a lot of the people who are forgotten farmers made other career choices because they were not sure if they would have a viable career in farming. Many of them completed apprenticeships or undertook studies so have a level 6 qualification. Between their knowledge of farming and experience gained in the real world they are probably as eminently qualified as most farmers so the argument could be made that the scheme should not be restricted to a level 6 qualification exclusively in farming, and as set out in the stamp duty manual. I ask the officials to reply to my query. They are probably not going to tell me today that there is discretion to meet just four or five of the six criteria. Please address my query about the education criteria.

The scheme called ACRES has been very well received. I attended a Teagasc briefing in Longford and in the main it was extremely positive. Unfortunately, there are some farmers who have enthusiastically supported environmental schemes since their inception and taken part in every incarnation of the scheme. In particular, there are relatively young or middle-aged farmers who probably work part-time to sustain their farms but, crucially, make a hugely important contribution to agriculture, the environment and the local economy. Tiers 1 and 2 will probably progress but there is a cohort of farmers who will not qualify for tier 1 or 2. There is potential to gain entry into tier 2 if one plants trees. Let me give an example. One of the farmers who contacted me told me that he is already surrounded by forestry on three sides. The only side that is not surrounded is where his house and farmyard are located so forestry is not an issue for him. He has poor land, which I am sure he is very proud of it but it would not be Deputy Jackie Cahill-quality land that one finds in County Tipperary, instead it is hard-worked Longford farmland. The farmer worries that he will be excluded from ACRES now that the scheme will focus exclusively on tiers 1 and 2. Can the officials reassure farmers that their current payment will continue and there will be some mechanism for them to continue the work that they are doing in terms of environmental actions?