Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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1041. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a person (details supplied) will qualify for a top up from the national reserve; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13261/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The person named did not receive an allocation of entitlements under the 2015 Scottish Derogation measure.  He did receive an allocation of entitlements under the Single Payment Scheme National Reserve in 2007. An allocation of entitlements under the Single Payment Scheme National Reserve does not preclude an applicant from benefiting from the Basic Payment Scheme National Reserve. 

I was glad to announce recently that funding of just over €5 million has been made available to fund a National Reserve in 2017.

In line with the EU Regulations governing the National Reserve, the two mandatory categories of ‘young farmer’ and ‘new entrant to farming’ will receive priority access to the Reserve. A young farmer is defined as a farmer aged no more than 40 years of age in the year when they first submit an application under the Basic Payment Scheme and who commenced their farming activity no more than five years prior to submitting that application.  A new entrant to farming is defined as a farmer who commenced their agricultural activity during the previous two years and did not have any agricultural activity in their own name and at their own risk in the five years preceding the start of the present agricultural activity. These definitions apply to all Member States and my Department has no discretion with regard to their implementation in Ireland.  Successful applicants will also be required to meet certain criteria with regard to agricultural educational qualifications and off-farm income.  Full details in relation to the application process for the National Reserve in 2017 will be available in the coming weeks and will be widely advertised in the farming media and on my Department’s website.  The closing date for applications will be 15th May 2017.