Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)

I thank the Deputy for raising this point. While he is in a different constituency, he is the TD who lives closest to me, as we straddle the border between Kildare and west Wicklow.

The challenge of generational renewal in farming has been widely recognised at both national and EU level. The programme for Government prioritises supporting intergenerational farm succession. Food Vision 2030, our shared strategy for the agrifood sector, states that generational renewal in farming is critically important to ensure the future viability and social sustainability of the Irish agrifood sector and of rural Ireland.

Ireland provides a range of supports, including initiatives under the current CAP strategic plan, a suite of strong taxation measures and access to finance, as well as advisory and education and training supports. Despite this support, the average age of farmers continues to rise. The most recent figures show that only 4.35% of farmers are under 35 years of age and some 37% of farmers are over 65.

In September, I launched the report of the commission on generational renewal in farming. Generational renewal, including farm succession, is a complex issue and there are many factors involved. The commission on generational renewal in farming was established to examine this issue and has produced a thorough analysis and made 31 recommendations across a wide range of areas, including CAP supports, pensions, taxation, access to finance, access to land, collaborative arrangements, advisory services, education and training, the important issue of gender balance and the overall attractiveness of the sector. These recommendations will be carefully considered. They are contained in a report that runs to 180 pages. The recommendations will be considered by an implementation group in my Department who will engage with agricultural stakeholders and the relevant public bodies. While some recommendations are for consideration in the context of the next CAP, it is hoped that others can be progressed in a shorter timeframe. Some of the taxation recommendations have already been considered and progressed in budget 2026, with those extended for a longer period than had been requested or anticipated.

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