Thomas Maher, Co Offaly

“In a new retirement scheme you need to get the balance right between moving out the old generation and moving in the younger generation. Many older farmers don’t want to retire for fear they could be made sit in the kitchen and look out at the farm by the rules of the scheme.

“Many younger farmers want to take control of the farm but still depend on the older farmers to carry out the smaller or lighter jobs that they haven’t time to do.

“I think full control should be handed over to the younger farmer but still allow the older farmer retain a small area of land generally along with their house say of a maximum of 20ac.

“Once you can show that 90% of the farm has been transferred or is being transferred this should qualify you for the scheme.”

John Desmond, Co Galway

“A new farm retirement scheme should allow farmers who lease from parents to retire thereby freeing up land. It should review the enlargement condition for the farmer taking over as this will help keep them out of high priced land for leasing. I think it should allow farmers to qualify at 55 years of age.

“I also think the scheme should allow unqualified farmers to join, especially where the farm is going from father to son.

“The per hectare and lump sum payment must be attractive and with the annual cost of living increase and the reduction in old age pension for the retiring farmer on reaching 66 years. I also believe that the term of the pension be increased to 20 years.

“We can’t have a repeat of the two previous schemes where there was minimal increase in the payment between the 1994 scheme and the 2000 scheme.”

Noel O’Connor, Co Kerry

“I think I’d like a partnership type option where the ownership and responsibility is handed over to the successor over a seven to 10 year period. I’m still young enough to remain working and would prefer a lightening of workload while still remaining involved on the farm.

“Handing over responsibility for cash flow and payments will need time. I also believe that an increasing payment over time as a carrot to reduce workload could be considered.”

Tadhg Moriarty, Co Kerry

“I think that any potential retirement scheme will need to be properly funded and fair to both the farmer retiring and the farmer who is taking over the farm.

“The scheme will need to prioritise full-time farmers as well as enable access to land for farmers in derogation. It’s also important that the scheme would allow farmers to access land leases at reasonable rents.”

James Kehoe, Co Wexford

“The plan for this potential retirement scheme should include a scheme that is comparable with a middle management civil service pension.

“I think this level of pension is imperative if the Government is going to be serious about older farmers being independent from the younger farmers who are taking on the farm.

“Otherwise it would be a burden on the farm income.”