Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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231. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of participants under the young farmers scheme in each of the years 2014 to 2016 and to date in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6589/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The Young Farmers Scheme was introduced in 2015 as a measure to support young farmers under the reformed Common Agricultural Policy.  In 2015 there were 8,184 successful applicants under the Young Farmers Scheme. There were 9,250 applications received under the 2016 Young Farmers Scheme.  In excess of 90% of these applications have been fully processed and in the remaining cases my Department is in contact with individual applicants regarding additional information to finalise processing or carrying out final administrative and on-farm checks.

The Young Farmers Scheme will be in operation for 2017. Details in relation to the application process will be widely advertised in the farming media and on the Department's website. The closing date for applications under the Scheme will be 15 May 2017.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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232. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total budget allocation for each year under CAP Pillar 1 2014 to 2020, inclusive, for participants under the young farmers scheme; the total amount drawn down in each year and to date in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6590/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The Young Farmers Scheme was introduced in 2015 as a measure to support young farmers under the reformed Common Agricultural Policy.  Ireland has allocated 2% of the national ceiling to the Scheme each year from 2015 to 2019.

The table sets out the total budget allocation for each year 2015-2019 for the Young Farmers Scheme and details of the amount paid under the Scheme for 2015. It also sets out the amount paid under the 2016 Scheme to date. With regard to the 2016 Young Farmers Scheme, in excess of 90% of these applications have been fully processed and in remaining cases my Department is in contact with individual applicants regarding additional information to finalise processing or carrying out final administrative and on-farm checks. In this regard, the amount paid under the 2016 Young Farmers Scheme will increase as the remaining successful applications are cleared for payment.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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233. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the estimated number of young farmers who have and do not have a green certificate, who are under 40 years of age but have been farming for more than five years and who are not permitted from accessing measures under CAP for young farmers, including being able to apply for the national reserve and for top-up entitlements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6591/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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In accordance with EU regulations governing the National Reserve and Young Farmers Scheme, a young farmer is defined as a farmer aged no more than 40 years of age in the year when s/he first submits an application under the Basic Payment Scheme and who commenced their farming activity no more than five years prior to submitting that application.  This definition applies to all Member States and my Department has no discretion with regard to its implementation in Ireland.  The status of ‘young farmer’ introduced under the reformed Common Agricultural Policy is designed specifically to assist young farmers in the initial stages of establishing a farming enterprise.

My Department does not hold records of farmers under the age of forty farming for more than five years who do or do not hold green certs except where that information has been submitted by individual farmers as a requirement under an application for a particular scheme.