Michael Colreavy (Sligo-North Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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426. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the insulation grant for young farmers will be reinstated; and if the early retirement scheme for farmers will be reinstated. [52784/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I presume that the Deputy is referring to the installation aid scheme (Young Farmers’ Installation Scheme) which was suspended for new applications in October 2008, together with the Early Retirement Scheme, as part of the decisions taken within the context of the 2009 Budget.

The new EU policy framework for rural development for the 2014-2020 period is being finalised at present and a large number of submissions from interested parties have been received by my Department in relation to Ireland’s next rural development programme. In the determination of the areas in which grant-aid will be made available in that programme, I will be examining all options and consulting relevant stakeholders to ensure that the maximum benefit is derived from the financial resources which will be available.