Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 8: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the number of young farmers who have received installation aid in each of the past five years on a county basis and the number of applications that have been rejected; if she is satisfied that there is enough flexibility within the scheme to take account of family difficulties and unusual circumstances to make sure that the maximum amount of farmers receive the help that they so desperately need in a difficult farming environment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6864/08]

John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The number of payees under the installation aid scheme in the past five years on a county-by-county basis is set out in the following table:

The number of applications rejected during the same period is 231. I am satisfied that there is sufficient flexibility in the current scheme, the young farmers installation scheme, to deal with unusual and unforeseeable circumstances which may arise during the course of the application process. In particular, the scheme provides for the acceptance of force majeure as provided for in the relevant EU regulations governing the scheme. The Deputy will be aware that the grant rate under the current scheme, which was introduced in June 2007, is 57% higher than that which was available under the preceding scheme.

Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I am the super sub here today.

If I am correct in interpreting the unusual circumstances alluded to in this question tabled by Deputy McGinley, it is the case of a young applicant who has been given a herd number on the basis that he was farming only leased land because the farm was too small to sustain two people. When the transfer of the land takes place, the young person is not eligible for the installation aid because he is already farming. The requisite qualifying conditions are based on a very complicated calculation, standard man days. An anomaly exists and this is the reason for the question. I hope I have got this right or I will not be able to walk in here next week.

John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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I am not aware of the specific case but the Minister, Deputy Coughlan, will review some of the issues raised by the Deputy.

The principal reason for ineligibility has been failure to achieve the educational or property requirements, failure to reach the minimum level of farm income within the determined period after a set-up, failure to respect the age limit of 35 years laid down in the scheme for the first setting up of farming and failure to meet the time limit for lodging applications under the scheme.

Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The chicken and egg situation is achieving the farm income without leasing land.

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The rule is that the applicant must not be in farming. He was initiated within the leasing agreement. I will agree to examine the case. Both of us will look at it. It there are two Ministers looking at it, it might not be half as bad.

P J Sheehan (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Change the rules

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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The relevant Deputy will be very impressed.

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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We do not bend rules over here in Fianna Fáil; it is terrible, scandalous behaviour.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I am impressed by the collective nature of the ministerial team in answering questions.

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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That is why we are strong.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I will call the next question. I ask the Minister of State to precis the answer to allow for a brief supplementary.