Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this. He is right in that I have made a strong commitment that we will introduce a scheme that recognises that forgotten farmers were not able to avail of particular schemes or supports for young farmers at the time in question because they were removed. These are farmers who are continuing to farm but who did not get the same supports others would have been able to avail of or can avail of today.

Much work has been done in the Department on assessing the different categories, pulling together the data and doing the full assessments. I am continuing to engage with the team on this. It will take some time. There is a massive logistical challenge with organising and rolling out the CAP schemes. I do not have a specific timeline but work is ongoing and there is a commitment. Over the course of this year, we will be paying more attention to this matter. I hope we will be able to provide more clarity on when it will be possible to deliver. I have been very clear that the commitment has been made and that, after many years, we are going to deliver a scheme that recognises that the affected farmers could not avail of supports at the time in question.

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