Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Regulations governing the operation of the National Reserve include an optional provision whereby Member States may use the National Reserve to allocate new entitlements or give a top-up on the value of existing entitlements for persons who suffer from a specific disadvantage.

In the context of the discussions with the EU Commission in early 2015 regarding the inclusion of the group referred to as Old Young Farmers under the 2015 National Reserve, the EU Commission advised that the inclusion of groups under ‘Specific Disadvantage’ category  of the National Reserve would require individual approval at EU level.

The National Reserve in 2017 was established using funding derived from a linear cut to the value of all farmers’ entitlements. EU Regulations pertaining to the National Reserve provide that the two categories of young farmer and new entrant to farming must receive priority access to the Reserve. In the context of the commitment in the Programme for a Partnership Government, Ireland consulted with the EU Commission regarding the possibility of including the Forgotten Farmer group under the specific disadvantage category of the 2017 National Reserve. The EU Commission confirmed that Member States cannot use the proceeds of a linear cut to fund a specific disadvantage category of the National Reserve. 

The Commission confirmed that the only funding option for the specific disadvantage category is natural replenishment of the Reserve, such as unused entitlements or the proceeds of clawback, but only after the two priority categories of young farmer and new entrant to farming have been catered for.