Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 258: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the number of full time farmers in 1999; the number currently engaged full time in farming; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20698/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The most recent figures available from the Central Statistics Office are for the year 2007 and these show that there were 67,177 farmers whose sole occupation was farming or 52% of the total, this compares with a figure of 87,500 for 1997. Over this period the number of farmers with another either major or subsidiary occupation rose from 56,200 to 60,923.

The trend in recent years has been towards part-time farming and reflects a combination of factors including the increased availability of off-farm employment during the period from 1999 to 2007. For many small-scale producers combining farming with off-farm employment is an effective way to ensure their continued viability in farming.