Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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248. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the action that will be taken to assist the young farming community in view of the fact that no young farmer received an entitlement from the national reserve in 2016 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7480/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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In 2015 the National Reserve fund was based on a 3% cut to the Basic Payment Scheme financial ceiling and provided some €24 million in funding which was the maximum financing rate available under the relevant EU Regulations. Some 6,300 farmers received an allocation of entitlements under the 2015 National Reserve. There was no National Reserve in 2016 as all available funding had been utilised under the 2015 scheme.  In order to provide for a National Reserve in 2017 funding is required to replenish the Reserve.  EU Regulations governing the scheme provide that funding for the replenishment of the National Reserve may be obtained by means of surrender of entitlements that remain unused by farmers for two consecutive years and by claw-back derived following the sale of entitlements without land. It is envisaged that funding derived from these two sources in 2017 will be very limited.  The Regulations also provide for the application of a linear cut to the value of all farmers’ entitlements to replenish the National Reserve.  Under the National Reserve priority access for an allocation of entitlements is given to the two mandatory categories of ‘young farmer’ and ‘new entrant to farming’.  

Consultation between Department officials and the Direct Payments Advisory Committee, comprising members of the main farming organisations and advisory bodies, takes place annually as part of the decision making process for the National Reserve.  Decisions relating to the availability of a 2017 National Reserve can only be made following determination of available funding and the consultation process involving the Direct Payments Advisory Committee.  The consultation process in relation to the National Reserve in 2017 has commenced and decisions relating to the availability of a 2017 National Reserve will made following the conclusion of the consultation process and the determination of available funding.