Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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285. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is aware of the difficulties arising for some young farmers due to the date for enrolment for the green certificate being brought forward from 30 September 2016 to 31 December 2015; of the particular concerns for some young persons who had emigrated and who were planning to return home to take up farming in 2016; if the original date of 30 September 2016 will be restored as the qualifying date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41837/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Applicants to the 2015 National Reserve and Young Farmers Scheme who had not yet commenced their FETAC Level 6 or equivalent agricultural education course were required to register for training with an agricultural education provider prior to submitting their application under the schemes. The education provider issued the prospective applicant with an expression of interest letter which the young farmer was required to enclose as part of the supporting documentation with the National Reserve and Young Farmers Scheme application.

In order to provide for the maximum number of entrants to the schemes it was decided that young farmers and new entrants who commenced their agricultural education courses prior to September 2016 would qualify under the educational requirements of the schemes in 2015. The EU Commission has recently advised that in order to qualify and receive payment in 2015 under the National Reserve and Young Farmers Scheme, applicants must have commenced their agricultural education course before the end of 2015. Arrangements are being put in place with the agricultural colleges and each applicant concerned will be given an opportunity to initiate their training in 2015.

The Regulation governing the National Reserve and Young Farmers Scheme requires young farmers to have set up their agricultural holding for the first time or to have set up such a holding during the five years preceding the first submission of the Basic Payment Scheme application. In order to qualify for the 2015 National Reserve and Young Farmers Scheme the applicant must have commenced farming in 2015. Young persons who plan to take up farming in 2016 will only be eligible to apply for the National Reserve or Young Farmers Scheme from 2016 and in this regard they will be required to commence their agricultural educational course in 2016.