The Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue plans to address the issue of the forgotten farmers in Budget 2025.

Speaking at the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA) AGM on Thursday last, the minister said he is going “to be seeking to address it” in this budget. “The key piece is securing the budget to follow through on it,” he said.

The minister was speaking in response to Kenneth O’Brien from east Galway. O’Brien founded the forgotten farmers group in 2015, when 4,000 farmers were identified by the Department of Agriculture as those who started farming from 2001 to 2009, had low entitlements per hectare but were still under 40.

This group of farmers were excluded from both the National Reserve and the young farmers scheme in the first Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS).

“I set up that group. There were 4,000 young farmers left out who never got funding. I’m asking you to make a commitment here.

“I have faith in you that in this budget you’ll make a promise,” he said.

The minister has said as far back as 2022 that there is a proposal for a scheme on his desk, but it is pending budgetary approval.