Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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231. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of farmers over 40 years of age (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2035/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Under the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy farmers over forty years of age may apply for an allocation of Basic Payment Scheme entitlements through the New Entrant priority category of the National Reserve and also through the Scottish Derogation. In order to be eligible under the ‘new entrant to farming’ category of the National Reserve, an applicant must:

- Be participating in the Basic Payment Scheme in the year in which s/he applies to the National Reserve;

- Have commenced the present agricultural activity in 2013 or later, and not have had any agricultural activity in his/her own name and at his/her own risk in the five years preceding the start of the present agricultural activity;

- Have successfully completed a recognised course of education in agriculture at FETAC Level 6 or its equivalent, or have commenced such a course in the year of application;

- Have a gross off-farm income that does not exceed €40,000 in either of the most recent tax years.

Successful applicants to the National Reserve will receive an allocation of new entitlements on the basis of one entitlement for one hectare. Applicants who already hold existing entitlement which are below the national average value will receive a top-up whereby the value of those entitlements will be increased to the national average value.

The provision known as the Scottish Derogation allows for the allocation of entitlements to persons who never held Single Payment entitlements but who actively farmed during the 2013 scheme yearand can provide verifiable evidence of agricultural production. Such allocation is available to eligible farmers who ‘produced, reared or grew agricultural products’ in 2013 in the beef, dairy, sheep and arable sectors.

There is no upper age limit for qualification for an allocation of entitlements under these two measures/schemes.