A total of €15.3m has been paid out through the Young Farmer Scheme (YFS) to date. Payments have been made to a total of 7,300 farmers from 9,300 applications under the 2017 YFS scheme. In July 2017, there were 9,950 applications recorded under the 2017 YFS.

However, through ongoing processing, duplicate applications were identified whereby applicants had made applications via the tick-box option on BPS application for continued participation in the YFS, but had also submitted separate applications via the online YFS application facility.

Following the elimination of duplicate applications, there are some 9,300 applications.

Of these 9,300 applications, 800 were unsuccessful or withdrawn, primarily because they had commenced farming in 2011 or earlier and are no longer eligible.

Other reasons for unsuccessful applications are where applicants did not meet the required educational standard or had not activated entitlements on which the payment can be made.

All of the unsuccessful cases have been given an opportunity to appeal and submit further documentation in support of their appeal, according to the Department. According to these figures, there are still 1,200 eligible young farmers who are awaiting payments.

In the remaining cases, the Department is working with individual applicants where outstanding information is required to finally process the application or where the necessary administrative and on-farm checks are required to be completed.

Those farmers mentioned above who began farming in 2011 or earlier may be thrown a lifeline due to changes in EU regulations.

The updated regulation may allow farmers under 40 who have completed their course within or after five years of establishing a farm in their own name to be eligible for the full five-year 25% increased payment on application.

According to the Department, the proposal came into effect on 1 January and these regulations will be considered in the context of drafting the terms and conditions of the 2018 YFS.