Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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504. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there will be a cap for new young farmers of farm income under the new national reserve scheme in order to be eligible for single farm payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16600/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The National Reserve will be established in 2015 using 3% of the ceiling allocated to the Basic Payment Scheme while in subsequent years it is replenished by the reversion of unused entitlements. Decisions relating to allocation of entitlements under the National Reserve element of the Single Payment scheme have previously been made following consultation with the Single Payment Advisory committee which included members of Teagasc and the farming organisations. I intend to continue this process under the new regime. Decisions regarding objective criteria such as income limits will be decided following consultation with this group. The terms and conditions of the 2015 National Reserve scheme will be published in due course.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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505. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the date on which new young farmers will be eligible to apply to the national reserve scheme for single farm payments; if there are any options open to young farmers who commence farming in 2014 to claim for a single farm payment for 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16601/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Persons who intend to participate in the new Scheme as ‘young farmers’ must be setting up an agricultural holding for the first time as head of the holding or have already set up such a holding during the five years preceding their first submission of an application under the Basic Payment Scheme. As the value of unused funds has been decreasing over recent years, it has not been possible to operate a National Reserve for the 2013 or 2014 scheme years.

Persons who commence farming in 2014 and receive a holding or part thereof by way of inheritance or gift for the 2014 scheme year will simply ‘step into the shoes’ of the transferor. In such cases they may draw down payment in 2014 and will also benefit from the allocation right established by the transferor, if any. Persons who commence farming in 2014 and who enter into a lease agreement for the 2014 scheme year may be able to enter into a Private Contract Clause with the lessor whereby leased land is transferred to the lessee in 2015 along with the newly established entitlements. However both parties to this agreement need to be active farmers in 2015.Persons who do not hold an allocation right for the new scheme are advised against purchasing entitlements for the 2014 scheme year as they would not have the right to carry forward such entitlements to 2015.

Before entering into any agreements relating to the transfer of entitlements in 2014, I recommend that the parties concerned contact the CAP Information Centre at 0761 064438 or by email at to discuss their individual circumstances.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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506. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when applying for a top up under the national reserve scheme for a single farm payment for a young farmer, if it is the date they activate their new herd number or the date they receive their herd number that dictates the date they started farming; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16604/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The date to be used to determine when the ‘young farmer’ established their holding will be the start date for the herd number. This date is assigned to the farmer by the Department’s local office following completion and approval of the ER.1 herd number application form.