Martin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein)
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493. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will clarify the ceiling for off-farm income to an applicant for young farmers entitlements who is under 40 years of age and has a green certificate from agricultural college. [6386/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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EU Regulation 1307/2013 outlines the basic criteria for the definition of 'young farmer' while allowing Member States to add further objective criteria. I have already indicated that persons hoping to qualify as young farmers in Ireland must have completed a recognised course of education in agriculture giving rise to an award at FETAC level 6 or its equivalent.

Under the National Reserve applied as part of the current Single Payment Scheme, an off-farm income limit of €30,000 and total income limit of €40,000 was applicable to persons who applied for an allocation of entitlements. The rationale for applying an off-farm income limit and an educational qualification requirement is to ensure that the resources in the National Reserve and indeed the payment available under the Young Farmers Scheme from 2015 are directed towards genuine young farmers who can demonstrate a commitment to farming by securing relevant educational qualifications and who are solely or mainly dependant on an income from farming.

No decision has yet been taken on the level of off-farm income that will apply to the National Reserve or Young Farmers Scheme applicants for 2015.