Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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471. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to provide an incentive to older farmers to take retirement to be able to hand farms over to younger and possibly more productive farmers; if he would see merits in such a scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39777/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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There are a range of tax measures applicable to the agricultural sector announced in recent Budgets which reflect the Government’s commitment to supporting younger farmers through encouraging earlier inter-generational transfer of farm holdings and minimising the costs associated with transfer of farm holdings. These measures have created a positive environment for structural change to occur and will help facilitate meeting the ambitious expansion targets planned in the Food Harvest 2020 strategy. The issue of further changes to the reliefs in the future is a matter in the first instance for the Minister for Finance and I will continue to liase closely with Minister Noonan in relation to possible taxation measures linked to policy priorities in my Department.

In relation to CAP measures I was very pleased that a single farm payment top-up for young farmers was part of the political agreement reached under the Irish presidency. I believe this measure will also incentivise farm transfer. In relation to pillar 2 of the CAP, my Department has undertaken detailed consultations with stakeholders and other required preparatory work for a new Rural Development Programme. Based on the outcome of these processes, the drafting of a new programme is being advanced in my Department. While support for a specific retirement scheme for farmers is not included in the draft Rural Development Regulation, there is scope in the menu of possible measures in the draft Regulation to provide support for young farmers and these will be considered in the preparation of the RDP.