Macra na Feirme members have outlined their priorities for this election. They cover a range of issues affecting rural youth and young farmers.
Mental health
Ireland must increase total mental health care budget to €100m.Increased spending on early intervention and suicide prevention counselling services.Government must provide sustainable funding for Make the Moove to progress from a pilot in Tipperary to a national initiative.Embargo on mental health staffing must be lifted.Commitment to improve child and adolescent mental health services.Housing
The rental market must be better regulated in order to eliminate predatory landlords.Base rent must be capped in order to prevent price gouging.The Government must encourage apartment development by offering incentives for builders and expedited planning permissions.Village renewal schemes to support the development of derelict premises and encourage people to live in rural villages. This will help maintain rural services and halt population decline.Ensure that planning and development guidelines are favourable towards young people who want to live and build in rural areas.Rent paid should be taken into account when applying for a mortgage.Narcotics
The Government must treat narcotics in Ireland as a public health problem and not simply a criminal problem.Drug education must be delivered to all secondary students.There must be increased investment in mental health and addiction treatment in rural areas.Rural crime
Rural garda stations previously closed must be reopened.Patrolling rural towns must be a priority in order to reduce rural crime.Employment conditions
Measures encouraging flexible working hours must be encouraged through employee taxation and employer incentives.Work from home initiatives must be supported in the workplace through employer grants and incentives.Commuter transport
Funding for public transport must be increased to 50% of the total transport budget, along with extension of the rail and light rail network to key commuter areas.Congestion charges should be introduced in Dublin city center to fund investment in public transport for commuters.Young people are struggling with high costs of living due to rising rent in our cities. Reducing the cost of travel for those under 25 would both reduce carbon emissions and decrease the costs of homelessness in urban Ireland.Youth services grant
Youth service grants provide vital funding for young people’s organisations, which would otherwise cost the State significantly more.Insurance
Insurance costs for both business and private car use has risen significantly in Ireland over recent years and this is having a significant negative impact on young people and community events. Recently, the rate of compensation and the level of claims have risen.Young farmers in particular are exposed, as the baseline insurance premiums are higher.Environment
The primary focus of the decarbonisation of transport should prioritise public transport, however due to the nature of rural Ireland, private car ownership will continue to exist. Investment in the public charging network is therefore needed.Retrofitting is essential to addressing the reduction in both carbon and cost of home heating. The deep retrofit scheme must be reintroduced.Rural broadband
The Rural Broadband plan has now been delayed too frequently with a massive negative knock on effect on rural students and SMEs.The use of mobile broadband network is necessary for both self employed contractors, farmers and others working in rural Ireland. A 5G network and proper coverage with 4G must be prioritised.CAP
Ireland must increase contribution to the EU Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF).Increase spending on young farmer’s measures to greater than 10%.Transition agreements must include a commitment to a National Reserve refilling mechanism and removal of the five-year rule for young farmers measures.Access to land
Long-term leasing reliefs must continue.State aid ceilings specifically for young farmers must be raised.A properly devised retirement scheme should provide important economic stability to older farmers.Forestry targets must be balanced to allow access for young farmers.Access to credit
Low-interest loans must be aimed at young farmers.Livestock should be considered collateral for lending, as in New Zealand.Any financial instruments should be additional to young farmers supports.Securing family farming
Support for partnerships and other forms of collaborative farming within families to deliver on intergenerational family farming.Support mechanisms such as taxation policies should favour the family farming model.The viability and economic sustainability of the family farm model is essential to preserving the fabric of rural Ireland and the multiple economic effect it has on rural areas.Generational renewal scheme
Taxation measures must aid in removing financial burdens from those retiring.CAP must include financial supports for older farmers who are financially insecure.Succession and inheritance
Macra na Feirme has developed an intergenerational succession model for CAP post-2020, to aid succession for older farmers while supporting the early establishment of young farmers.The extension of all existing agri taxation reliefs to support the orderly transfer of farms is essential.Health and safety
Farmers must be able to access free, independent safety assessments.Market fairness
The introduction of legislation and a regulator to protect the primary producer in the food-supply chain.Ensure that the position of the farmer in the food-supply chain is protected and a fair margin is delivered to farmers. Farmers receiving returns from the market that are below the cost of production, while others in the food-supply chain are earning profits is totally unsustainable.Environment
Farmers must be supported in the adoption of modern technology and practices to reduce on-farm emissions.Farmers must be given sufficient access to products and equipment proven to reduce farm emissions.A results-based environmental scheme open to all farms, which pays for carbon reduction measures, should be introduced.Farmers should not be forced to reduce herd size to meet emissions targets.CPD for farmers
The Continuous Professional Development (CPD) of our people, who are our greatest asset, will help unlock our sector’s potential.The development and establishment of a framework to record and accredit upskilling and continuous training is required to deliver on future prosperity for the agricultural sector.
Macra na Feirme members have outlined their priorities for this election. They cover a range of issues affecting rural youth and young farmers.
Mental health
Ireland must increase total mental health care budget to €100m.Increased spending on early intervention and suicide prevention counselling services.Government must provide sustainable funding for Make the Moove to progress from a pilot in Tipperary to a national initiative.Embargo on mental health staffing must be lifted.Commitment to improve child and adolescent mental health services.Housing
The rental market must be better regulated in order to eliminate predatory landlords.Base rent must be capped in order to prevent price gouging.The Government must encourage apartment development by offering incentives for builders and expedited planning permissions.Village renewal schemes to support the development of derelict premises and encourage people to live in rural villages. This will help maintain rural services and halt population decline.Ensure that planning and development guidelines are favourable towards young people who want to live and build in rural areas.Rent paid should be taken into account when applying for a mortgage.Narcotics
The Government must treat narcotics in Ireland as a public health problem and not simply a criminal problem.Drug education must be delivered to all secondary students.There must be increased investment in mental health and addiction treatment in rural areas.Rural crime
Rural garda stations previously closed must be reopened.Patrolling rural towns must be a priority in order to reduce rural crime.Employment conditions
Measures encouraging flexible working hours must be encouraged through employee taxation and employer incentives.Work from home initiatives must be supported in the workplace through employer grants and incentives.Commuter transport
Funding for public transport must be increased to 50% of the total transport budget, along with extension of the rail and light rail network to key commuter areas.Congestion charges should be introduced in Dublin city center to fund investment in public transport for commuters.Young people are struggling with high costs of living due to rising rent in our cities. Reducing the cost of travel for those under 25 would both reduce carbon emissions and decrease the costs of homelessness in urban Ireland.Youth services grant
Youth service grants provide vital funding for young people’s organisations, which would otherwise cost the State significantly more.Insurance
Insurance costs for both business and private car use has risen significantly in Ireland over recent years and this is having a significant negative impact on young people and community events. Recently, the rate of compensation and the level of claims have risen.Young farmers in particular are exposed, as the baseline insurance premiums are higher.Environment
The primary focus of the decarbonisation of transport should prioritise public transport, however due to the nature of rural Ireland, private car ownership will continue to exist. Investment in the public charging network is therefore needed.Retrofitting is essential to addressing the reduction in both carbon and cost of home heating. The deep retrofit scheme must be reintroduced.Rural broadband
The Rural Broadband plan has now been delayed too frequently with a massive negative knock on effect on rural students and SMEs.The use of mobile broadband network is necessary for both self employed contractors, farmers and others working in rural Ireland. A 5G network and proper coverage with 4G must be prioritised.CAP
Ireland must increase contribution to the EU Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF).Increase spending on young farmer’s measures to greater than 10%.Transition agreements must include a commitment to a National Reserve refilling mechanism and removal of the five-year rule for young farmers measures.Access to land
Long-term leasing reliefs must continue.State aid ceilings specifically for young farmers must be raised.A properly devised retirement scheme should provide important economic stability to older farmers.Forestry targets must be balanced to allow access for young farmers.Access to credit
Low-interest loans must be aimed at young farmers.Livestock should be considered collateral for lending, as in New Zealand.Any financial instruments should be additional to young farmers supports.Securing family farming
Support for partnerships and other forms of collaborative farming within families to deliver on intergenerational family farming.Support mechanisms such as taxation policies should favour the family farming model.The viability and economic sustainability of the family farm model is essential to preserving the fabric of rural Ireland and the multiple economic effect it has on rural areas.Generational renewal scheme
Taxation measures must aid in removing financial burdens from those retiring.CAP must include financial supports for older farmers who are financially insecure.Succession and inheritance
Macra na Feirme has developed an intergenerational succession model for CAP post-2020, to aid succession for older farmers while supporting the early establishment of young farmers.The extension of all existing agri taxation reliefs to support the orderly transfer of farms is essential.Health and safety
Farmers must be able to access free, independent safety assessments.Market fairness
The introduction of legislation and a regulator to protect the primary producer in the food-supply chain.Ensure that the position of the farmer in the food-supply chain is protected and a fair margin is delivered to farmers. Farmers receiving returns from the market that are below the cost of production, while others in the food-supply chain are earning profits is totally unsustainable.Environment
Farmers must be supported in the adoption of modern technology and practices to reduce on-farm emissions.Farmers must be given sufficient access to products and equipment proven to reduce farm emissions.A results-based environmental scheme open to all farms, which pays for carbon reduction measures, should be introduced.Farmers should not be forced to reduce herd size to meet emissions targets.CPD for farmers
The Continuous Professional Development (CPD) of our people, who are our greatest asset, will help unlock our sector’s potential.The development and establishment of a framework to record and accredit upskilling and continuous training is required to deliver on future prosperity for the agricultural sector. 
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