Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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229. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the significant difficulties being experienced by younger farmers who have missed out on the previous installation aid scheme and who will not qualify for the new scheme; his plans to introduce measures to address this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37693/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Rural Development Programme for the period 2014-2020 was submitted to the EU Commission for approval in July 2014. Under the Programme, it is proposed to introduce an enhanced capital investment scheme for young farmers in place of an installation aid scheme. This new scheme will involve a specific grant rate of 60 per cent compared to the standard grant rate of 40 per cent which will be generally available under other on-farm investment schemes. I will be endeavouring to ensure that as many young farmers as possible can avail of the enhanced grant scheme when the national measures are introduced following receipt of the required EU Commission approval for the Programme.

Where farmers are unable to qualify for the enhanced grant scheme, they will be eligible to apply for grants at a standard rate under other on-farm investment schemes which are made available under the new Programme.

The approval of the EU Commission will be required before any new measures can be introduced under the new Rural Development Programme.