Agri committee chair: More funding needed for 'Forgotten Farmers'
The chair of the Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food Aindrias Moynihan has called for increased funding to support Long Established Young Farmers, commonly referred to as ‘Forgotten Farmers’.
The Fianna Fáil TD for Cork North-West said that the €5 million allocated in Budget 2025 to provide support to this group is “only a first step in righting historic wrongs”.
The so-called “Forgotten Farmers” are individuals who were under 40 in 2015 and began farming before 2008.
Due to the timing of their entry into agriculture, they were excluded from young farmer supports under the 2015 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), missing out on installation aid and other key supports available to their contemporaries.
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) said that the scheme for Forgotten Farmers will open for online applications until 5:30p.m on August 13, 2025.
The department said that applicants can avail of a payment of up to €5,000 (depending on application numbers).
Commenting on the scheme, Deputy Moynihan said: “This is about justice and fairness. These farmers were unfairly excluded from critical supports through no fault of their own".
"They’ve been overlooked for far too long, and this scheme is a long-overdue recognition of their contribution to Irish agriculture.
“While I welcome the scheme’s introduction, it is only the beginning. Justice must be meaningful. These farmers deserve not just recognition, but adequate compensation.
"I’m glad to see the scheme come to fruition, but now we must build on it to ensure those who were left behind finally receive what they are due," he said.
Deputy Moynihan said these farmers “met every requirement, except the cut-off date".
"That was the only thing that disqualified them. Despite this, they’ve kept working hard without the supports others received, placing them at an unfair advantage.
"While the scheme offers payments of up to €5,000 per farmer, it won’t fully make up for the years of lost support," he added.
Deputy Moynihan said that he will continue to raise this issue with the Minister for Agriculture Food and the Marine Martin Heydon throughout the upcoming budget negotiations.
"If we’re going to right a wrong, we must ensure we get it right," he said.
