Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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151. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there are any plans to restore a scheme whereby a farmer could retire on pension aged 55 and pass on the farm to a family member; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39519/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Assisting the next generation to take over the farm, when the time is right to do so, is one of my priorities to ensure the ongoing sustainability of the family farm. While supporting young farmers and new entrants is critical to ensure a bright future for the agri-food sector, it is also important to consider the position of older and retiring farmers.

Food Vision 2030, highlights the challenge of generational renewal and proposes several actions, including maintaining the current strong level of support, the promotion of succession planning & land mobility, and increased education and promotion of the diversity of careers in the agri-food sector.

I ensured that under Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027, there was substantial investment focused on achieving generational renewal, including:

• The Complementary Income Support for Young Farmers’ Scheme, to help young farmers establish their farming businesses, by dedicating some 3% of the direct payments ceiling. This allocation of approximately €35m per year will see young farmers, who qualify, benefit from payments averaging some €175 per hectare over the five years of the scheme.
• The National Reserve, which provides support to two priority categories of Young Farmer and New Farmer. Successful applicants will receive an allocation of payment entitlements on land for which they hold no payment entitlements, and/or a top-up to the value of existing entitlements below the national average entitlement value to bring them up to the national average value, subject to an overall allocation of 50 entitlements per successful applicant.
• The TAMS capital investment measure, where a higher grant rate of 60% for qualified young farmers is available.
• A Collaborative Farming Grant Scheme to provide financial support to encourage older farmers to form partnerships with young, trained farmers.
• A Succession Planning Advice Grant to assist older farmers with the costs incurred for independent legal and financial advice on succession planning.

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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152. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine for an update on an issue (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39522/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Assisting the next generation to take over the farm, when the time is right to do so, is one of my priorities to ensure the ongoing sustainability of the family farm. While supporting young farmers and new entrants is critical to ensure a bright future for the agri-food sector, it is also important to consider the position of older and retiring farmers.

Food Vision 2030, highlights the challenge of generational renewal and proposes several actions, including maintaining the current strong level of support, the promotion of succession planning & land mobility, and increased education and promotion of the diversity of careers in the agri-food sector.

I ensured that under Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027, there was substantial investment focused on achieving generational renewal, including:

The Complementary Income Support for Young Farmers’ Scheme, to help young farmers establish their farming businesses, by dedicating some 3% of the direct payments ceiling. This allocation of approximately €35m per year will see young farmers, who qualify, benefit from payments averaging some €175 per hectare over the five years of the scheme.

The National Reserve, which provides support to two priority categories of Young Farmer and New Farmer. Successful applicants will receive an allocation of payment entitlements on land for which they hold no payment entitlements, and/or a top-up to the value of existing entitlements below the national average entitlement value to bring them up to the national average value, subject to an overall allocation of 50 entitlements per successful applicant.

The TAMS capital investment measure, where a higher grant rate of 60% for qualified young farmers is available.

A Collaborative Farming Grant Scheme to provide financial support to encourage older farmers to form partnerships with young, trained farmers.

A Succession Planning Advice Grant to assist older farmers with the costs incurred for independent legal and financial advice on succession planning.

This is complemented with national supports, including strong taxation measures facilitating generational renewal and the early inter-generational transfer of family farms. In addition, long-term leasing income tax relief supports access to land for young farmers and provides a route to retirement for older farmers.

More recently, I announced my intention to establish a Commission on Generational Renewal in Farming. Farm succession is a complex area and there are many factors that impact farmers’ decisions. Preparations for the new CAP, post 2027, will also look at the optimal policy tools and other supports to encourage generational renewal.