Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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353. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position with respect to the allocation of entitlements under the old young farmers criteria, in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23134/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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In accordance with the EU regulations governing the ‘Young Farmer’ priority category of the National Reserve, a ‘young farmer’ is defined as follows:

- 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.

Applications under Phase 2 of the National Reserve in respect of the category referred to as ‘old young farmers’ opened on 1st April 2015 and closed for receipt of applications on 29th May 2015. Old young farmers are defined as farmers who established their holding in 2008 or 2009, who comply with the definition of ‘young farmer’ for the purposes of the National Reserve Young Farmer priority category, but who missed out on both the Young Farmer Installation Scheme which closed for applications in 2008 and the priority category of Young Farmer under the National Reserve which includes farmers who commenced farming since 2010.

By the closing date of 29th May 2015 some 6,000 applications had been received in respect of the National Reserve under the categories of ‘young farmer’ and ‘new entrant’ under Phase 1 and ‘old young farmer’ under Phase 2. In addition, some 8,500 applications were received under the Young Farmers ’ Scheme. While processing of applications has commenced, applications under the National Reserve and/or Young Farmers ’ Scheme cannot be fully processed until 2015 Basic Payment Scheme applications received have been processed for each farmer concerned and land details verified.

My Department will correspond in due course with each applicant to advise them of the outcome of their application once it has been fully processed. Where additional information is required in support of an application, my Department will correspond directly with the applicant with a view to obtaining the required information.