Generational renewal is still a cornerstone to supporting young people in rural Ireland, Macra na Feirme has insisted.

Despite welcoming a number of measures in the Government’s Our Rural Future paper published this week, they pointed to funding through CAP as a key issue.

“In the next CAP, young farmers need to see at least 4% of all direct payments directed towards contributing to generational renewal.

“It cannot be all down to EU funding however, national contribution to schemes must be maximised to make this green transition,” said agricultural affairs chair Shane Fitzgerald.

Remote working

Other measures such as the focus on remote working were welcomed by Macra na Feirme president Thomas Duffy, but he said that issues around rural broadband needed to be addressed.

“As plans are put in place to return to offices, the excuse of poor broadband speed and other distractions is less likely to be tolerated and so the acceleration of the National Broadband Plan is a must,” he said.

Macra also said the establishment of a rural youth assembly was essential and welcomed that the strategy in the Government document included initiatives such as Make the Moove run by Tipperary Macra members.

“Macra na Feirme welcome[s] the inclusion of Make the Moove in ‘Our Rural Future’ and look forward to working with government departments, HSE and others in developing this initiative nationally,” said Duffy.