Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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1046. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if those farmers who at the inception of the young farmer scheme were farming in their own right for over five years and therefore not eligible and who are now over 40 years of age and without a green certificate will have a chance of entry into a new scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11224/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Programme for Government contains a commitment to seek to resolve, under the next CAP, the issue of support for the category of farmers known as 'Forgotten Farmers' and I intend to keep that commitment.

‘Forgotten Farmer’ is a term used to describe a group of farmers who had set up their agricultural holdings prior to 2008, were under 40 in 2015 and held low value payment entitlements, but were ineligible as young farmers under the National Reserve. As the purpose of the National Reserve is to provide support to farmers in the early years following the establishment of an agricultural holding, the 'Forgotten Farmer' group did not meet the eligibility requirements. The group sought to be considered under the National Reserve as a group suffering from specific disadvantage. As outlined previously, there is no basis in EU Regulations under which this group can meet the eligibility requirements for the Young Farmers Scheme payment.

The Young Farmers Scheme and the separate and distinct ‘Young Farmer’ priority category of the National Reserve were introduced under Pillar I of the reformed CAP in 2015 to provide support to young farmers in the initial period following the commencement of their agricultural activities.

In line with the EU Regulations governing the operation of the Young Farmers Scheme, the payment is limited to a maximum period of five years. Payment is based on the number of payment entitlements activated in the scheme year, subject to a maximum of 50. Since the introduction of the Young Farmers Scheme in 2015, support has been granted to young famers who have commenced their agricultural activities since 2010. There is no provision within the EU Regulations governing the Young Farmers scheme to provide for support to young farmers who commenced their agricultural activity prior to 2010.

Separately, from 2015 the ‘Young Farmer’ priority category of the National Reserve has also provided support to young farmers who have commenced their agricultural activity since 2010. The National Reserve provides an allocation of payment entitlements on eligible ‘naked’ land or increases the value of entitlements that are below the national average to bring them up to the national average. In 2015, the National Reserve also provided support on a once-off basis to a group of farmers called Old Young Farmers. This was a category of young farmers who had commenced their agricultural activity in 2008 and 2009 but had suffered the disadvantage of not having had access to Installation Aid available at the time of their initial set up.

EU Regulations governing the National Reserve provide that the two categories of young farmer and new entrant to farming must receive priority access to the Reserve. Since 2018, under the Omnibus Regulation, Member States may use the proceeds of a linear cut to fund specific disadvantage categories under the National Reserve but only if a linear cut is required to fund the two priority categories of young farmer and new entrant to farming in that particular year. Since 2018, the National Reserve has been funded without the requirement for a linear cut to the value of all payment entitlements and this is also the case for 2021. Decisions in relation to the National Reserve, including the basis of funding the Reserve, are made in consultation with the Direct Payments Advisory Committee which comprises members of the main farming organisations and farm advisory services.

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1047. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will outline the criteria and eligibility terms for schemes (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11244/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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My Department offers an attractive suite of options for landowners to plant forestry as part of the Afforestation Grant and Premium scheme, to suit most land types and scenarios. The main Afforestation Scheme offers generous establishment grants and up to 15 years premiums payable to the landowner. A range of support schemes is also available for more specialised situations. More information may be found on the forestry pages of my Department’s website on gov.ie.

The eligibility requirements are quite open, a person must own or have a long-term lease on the land to be planted and must be over 18 years of age, with a current tax clearance certificate at annual payment stage. Forestry offers a viable opportunity for income diversification on farms and I would encourage any interested landowner to examine all options carefully and see which suit them. They should also speak to their advisor directly who can advise on best to approach it.