Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for the reply. When a review takes place in every Department, there is concern about elements being removed. I know the Minister is very much committed to young farmers, and he has stated as much and acted upon it in a number of ways. I am sure this review will ensure the best supports can be made available for young farmers and the transfer of land.

The Minister is aware of the report from Macra na Feirme on land mobility and succession in Ireland, which lists a number of statistics that have been used by the Minister regarding succession and the lack of identification of successors. The main reasons for lack of farming succession are a lack of children in 29% of cases, no decision on which child to receive a transfer in 24% of cases and family members not being interested in 20% of cases. There has been a major increase in the number of young farmers in our agricultural colleges, so the commitment to taking over farms in the sector is still significant.

Another issue that is raised is the potential for relationship breakdown, which is a concern for families in advance of making a decision before a transfer. Is the Minister concerned about land mobility having an impact on Harvest 2020 and the potential for growth in the agricultural sector?

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