Fine Gael’s spokesperson for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Deputy Michael Ring, again this week in the Dáil questioned the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Brendan Smith TD, in relation to the suspension of the Young Farmers’ Installation Scheme.
Deputy Ring stated: “I questioned the minister as I am very concerned about the suspension of this scheme and also I am anxious to highlight the severe difficulties which the suspension of this scheme is going to present for young farmers. I am deeply concerned about young farmers who had started the process of transferring land, leasing land, etc. for participation in this scheme and have now been left in an abominable position.”
Minister Smith said: “The decision to suspend the scheme to new applicants was due to budgetary constraints. In protecting expenditure in certain areas in the 2009 estimates, expenditure in other areas had to be curtailed. I have made provision of over €9 million to meet current commitments for installation aid. This level of funding means that, for the present, new applications under the Young Farmers’ Installation Scheme are suspended.
“Only fully completed applications made under the Young Farmers’ Installation Scheme and received by my Department up to and including October 14 2008 will be processed. It should be noted, however, that completion of an educational course is not sufficient, in itself, to qualify for a grant under the scheme concerned.”
Dep Ring questioned the minister on the future of the scheme. Minister Smith said the possibility of reintroducing the scheme will be considered in the context of the preparation of the annual estimates next year and beyond, at which time any changes to the terms of the scheme can also be considered.
Dep Ring concluded: “I am again calling on the minister to try and do something for these young farmers. I am imploring him to reverse this decision which was made in the budget. The young farmers are the backbone of the country. For so long, it has been the farming families which have been a huge benefit to this country. If we do not encourage them into farming, there is no question about it that farming will die.”
