Johnny Guirke (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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303. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will ensure that supports to a cohort of persons (details supplied) are included in the next CAP. [51448/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Programme for Government ‘Our Shared Future’ contains a commitment to seek to resolve the issue of support for the category of farmers known as Forgotten Farmers.

The Department is examining options to address the issue of forgotten farmers.

The outline of any schemes supported under the next CAP and details of the Terms and Conditions for eligibility under such schemes, or for other supports available, will be set out once all the relevant EU Regulations are agreed and finalised.

Johnny Guirke (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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304. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to continue the process of convergence in 2022. [51449/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Convergence is a mandatory provision in the current Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Programme and a provision that will be continued in the new CAP.

The Regulation regarding the transition period permitted EU Member States to continue convergence during the transition period, should they wish to do so. Ireland took the decision to pause convergence during this time. This option was chosen to provide some much-needed stability in direct payments and to allow time to consult with farmers and their representative bodies to ascertain their views and expectations.

The Department and I continue to consult with stakeholders to further consider how to continue the convergence process along with considering their views on various other elements of the new CAP. These consultations will serve to ensure concerns and recommendations by farmers and their representative bodies are incorporated into the development of the CAP Strategic Plan.

Johnny Guirke (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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305. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the proposals he plans to bring forward to support young farmers as part of the state CAP Strategic Plan. [51450/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Details of the CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027 are still in consultation with stakeholders.

However, with regard to direct payment supports, the Department proposes to operate a National Reserve from 2023 to prioritise access to payment entitlements for young farmers and new farmers. This

would provide successful applicants with an allocation of payment entitlements on eligible land on which they hold no entitlements and/or a top up to the national average entitlement value on existing entitlements they hold where these entitlements have a value below the national average entitlement value.

The Department also proposes to operate the Complementary Income Support for Young Farmers from 2023, which will build on the success of the Young Farmers Scheme that has been in place since 2015. This would provide successful applicants with a payment per eligible hectare, subject to a maximum of 50 hectares, for a maximum term of five years.

There is also provision to allow Young Farmers Scheme participants who have not reached the end of their term of eligibility under the scheme to roll over into the Complementary Income Support for Young Farmers for the remainder of their 5-year term of eligibility.

With regard to supports for young farmers under Pillar II of the new CAP, the proposed new On-Farm Investment Scheme will address key environmental objectives through the provision of grant aid for new capital investments that contribute to environmental, farm safety or animal health and welfare objectives. It is proposed that a higher rate of grant aid would be available to qualified Young Farmers.