Martin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We have all been supportive of the partnership arrangement for younger and older farmers as a mechanism for encouraging young people to stay on the land and build up their own entitlements, with the expertise that many of them have gleaned through Pallaskenry and other colleges where young farmers go for farming education. The problem, as I understand it, is that although there have been roughly 800 applications for the scheme, apparently only 300 have been processed. If these applications are not processed, it will run into next year, and the young farmers who have not had their applications processed will lose the top-up on their entitlements. It would also affect their green low-carbon agri-environment scheme, GLAS, payments and the higher grants under the targeted agricultural modernisation scheme, TAMS, which are essential for young farmers, because availing of the TAMS support and grant system amounts to putting good capital investment into farm holdings.

Those who have not been processed will not access GLAS within the current deadline of 14 December. Furthermore, partnerships that have been created are missing vital information such as commonages from their applications, which means that they cannot enter GLAS and there is no sign they will have their information updated. The loss to the young farmer will be quite substantial.

I hope the delay in processing these partnerships will be dealt with, because it is preventing young farmers from applying for those entitlements. I understand the computer system will not allow GLAS planners to submit applications for unprocessed partnerships. I would appreciate it if the Minister of State could give me a positive response to my queries.

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