Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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505. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the criteria for the national reserve and young farmer single farm payment top up; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34679/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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To qualify as a ‘young farmer’ under the Young Farmers Scheme and National Reserve, a farmer must meet all of the following conditions:

- S/he is participating in the Basic Payment Scheme.

- S/he is aged no more than 40 years of age in the year when s/he first submits an application under the Basic Payment Scheme.

- S/he is setting up an agricultural holding for the first time or has set up such a holding during the five years preceding the first submission of the Basic Payment Scheme application.

- S/he has successfully completed a recognised course of education in agriculture giving rise to an award at FETAC level 6 or its equivalent.

The setting of objective criteria in relation to the National Reserve is currently under consideration in consultation with the Direct Payments Advisory Committee which includes members of the farming organisations and advisory services and will be finalised shortly.