Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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323. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to set out the reason a cohort of farmers under 40 years of age who were not beneficiaries of installation aid prior to its suspension are excluded from benefitting from the higher levels of grant aid available to other farmers of similar age; the measures he will take to address this anomaly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24953/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I am aware that there is a group of young farmers who established their holdings prior to 28 May 2010 and who missed out on the Young Farmers Installation Scheme which closed to applications in 2008. Unfortunately, the definition of ‘young farmer’ laid down in the EU regulations for the purposes of any capital investment schemes is quite explicit and it is inevitable that some farmers will not qualify. However, any young farmers who do not qualify for the enhanced rate of aid under the dedicated Young Farmer Capital Investment Scheme will be prioritised for aid under the various other new TAMS schemes which offers grants of 40% of investment costs. The following investments have been identified as priority areas to be targeted in the new TAMS schemes:

- a young farmer capital investment scheme;

- dairy equipment, low emission spreading equipment;

- organic capital investment;

- animal housing, animal welfare and farm safety and farm nutrient storage; and

- pig and poultry investments in energy, water meters and medicine dispensers.

I have already launched the new Young Farmer Capital Investment Scheme, the Terms and Conditions of which are available on my Department’s website. The other TAMS II schemes will be rolled out as soon as possible and will be open to all farmers.