Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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127. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason an off-farm income limit of €40,000 is being applied to young farmers applying to the national reserve to have their entitlements increased towards the national average when a similar off-farm income limit does not apply to young farmers applying for a 25% top-up on their single farm payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2983/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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In accordance with the relevant EU Regulation governing the National Reserve, Member States have the option of applying objective criteria in the allocation of entitlements. The application of an off farm income limit has been included as objective criteria since the introduction of the National Reserve in 2005.

The process of deciding objective criteria for the National Reserve is carried out in consultation with the Direct Payments Advisory Committee which includes members of the main farming bodies and advisory services. After consultation with this Committee in recent months and in the context of the limited funding available to the National Reserve, it was decided that an off-farm income limit of €40,000 would be applied to all applicants.

The EU Regulations governing the Young Farmer scheme do not provide for the inclusion of off farm income as eligibility criteria.