Macra is hedging its bets on securing a green light from Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue for a 1,000-farmer farm succession scheme pilot.
President of the young farmer organisation, Elaine Houlihan, said discussions on such a scheme have moved positively and that the ball is now in the minister’s court.
Under the pilot, 1,000 farmers would be paid to retire by Government and awarded a weekly sum of €484.
This, coupled with the State pension, would see a retired participant farmer take home in excess of €700/week or €36,000/year.
The pilot scheme would prove costly for the coalition, requiring over €25m for each year the scheme would run.
“After our last meeting, it was quite positive again with Minister McConalogue so now we’re just awaiting an outcome. We had to submit further figures to him. All that has been done.
“Now it’s a waiting game. We’re hopeful. We hope he does deliver because it’s what the young people want in rural Ireland,” Houlihan said.
The Macra president insisted the scheme is “not a retirement scheme” and said that post the 1,000-farmer pilot, Macra will be seeking a full rollout.
Macra president Elaine Houlihan. \ Odhran Ducie
Dairy exit
Houlihan seems unwilling to back down on her focus on farm succession, with a generational renewal element being essential to Macra’s support for any dairy exit scheme.
“There has to be a succession element, regardless. We’re not going to say that we’re straight out against it. If there is a succession element to it, that’s ok. But if there isn’t a succession element, we are strongly against,” she said.
The Department of Agriculture did not respond to a query seeking further clarity regarding farm succession scheme discussion.
Macra is hedging its bets on securing a green light from Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue for a 1,000-farmer farm succession scheme pilot.
President of the young farmer organisation, Elaine Houlihan, said discussions on such a scheme have moved positively and that the ball is now in the minister’s court.
Under the pilot, 1,000 farmers would be paid to retire by Government and awarded a weekly sum of €484.
This, coupled with the State pension, would see a retired participant farmer take home in excess of €700/week or €36,000/year.
The pilot scheme would prove costly for the coalition, requiring over €25m for each year the scheme would run.
“After our last meeting, it was quite positive again with Minister McConalogue so now we’re just awaiting an outcome. We had to submit further figures to him. All that has been done.
“Now it’s a waiting game. We’re hopeful. We hope he does deliver because it’s what the young people want in rural Ireland,” Houlihan said.
The Macra president insisted the scheme is “not a retirement scheme” and said that post the 1,000-farmer pilot, Macra will be seeking a full rollout.
Macra president Elaine Houlihan. \ Odhran Ducie
Dairy exit
Houlihan seems unwilling to back down on her focus on farm succession, with a generational renewal element being essential to Macra’s support for any dairy exit scheme.
“There has to be a succession element, regardless. We’re not going to say that we’re straight out against it. If there is a succession element to it, that’s ok. But if there isn’t a succession element, we are strongly against,” she said.
The Department of Agriculture did not respond to a query seeking further clarity regarding farm succession scheme discussion.
SHARING OPTIONS