The group commonly referred to as forgotten farmers comprises young farmers who were under the age of 40 in 2015, had established their holdings prior to 2008 and held no or low value payment entitlements.
I was pleased to be able to confirm that as part of Budget 2025 my Department secured an allocation of €5 million for 2025 to support this group of farmers. Work continues on addressing a number of remaining issues, including state aid considerations, before the details of the eligibility requirements and benefits to successful applicants under the scheme can be finalised. Details of the scheme will be made available as soon as this process has been completed.
I am committed to delivering for these farmers, many of whom find themselves in this situation through no fault of their own, at the earliest opportunity in 2025.