Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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616. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers thought to currently comprise the category known as the forgotten farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24460/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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‘Forgotten Farmer’ is a term used to describe a group of farmers who had set up their agricultural holdings prior to 2008, were under the age of 40 in 2015 and held low value payment entitlements, but were ineligible for young farmer supports under the CAP from 2015.

As the purpose of the young farmer supports from 2015 was 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 most recent analysis on the basis of records available to my Department shows approximately 3,500 farmers in this group.