Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The farmer concerned is going to receive grant aid. He is not excluded from the TAM scheme, but, like most farmers, will receive 40% grant aid, which is significant. Few schemes have been introduced in any Department under which more than 40% grant aid is given in terms of capital investment. The farmer concerned can avail of this, but he will not be in the same category as a young farmer who started farming in the past five years. Some people aged 41 years who started farming in the past three years believe they should be in this category, as do some under the age of 40 who started farming six or seven years ago. Whenever we have a defined category , there are always people on the margins who are left out. I have a lot of sympathy for them, particularly young farmers under the age of 40 who have been farming for six or seven years. That is the reason we are now helping them through the national reserve. Grant aid of 40% under the TAM scheme gives farmers an opportunity to invest in expansion and growth programmes on their farms and I encourage them to do so. However, not everybody can receive grant aid of 60%.

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