Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

That is a different issue because it is does not concern entitlement. The Deputy is talking about access to a specific installation aid which supports young farmers who want to get into farming. It is like the case of somebody who took up the farm retirement scheme but now wants to go back to farming. There may be issues with regard to having the opportunity to participate in education.

The larger farming organisations would be of the view that only those who participate in full-time education should have that entitlement of progressing to installation aid. We are evaluating the educational requirements from a young farmer's perspective but, as the Deputy knows, the pull is between farming organisations that only wish to support those in full-time farming and the many part-time farmers who we want to support. With regard to installation aid, it would not be a force majeure case because such cases are mainly based on illness and death.

See this speech in context