The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine has told TDs he is "committed to delivering" for the group known as the "forgotten farmers".

But, in response to questions raised by the Sinn Féin TD, Claire Kerrane and the Fianna Fáil TD, Niall Collins, Minister Heydon was unable to provide a timeframe on when there would be movement on a scheme to support these farmers.

Funding totalling €5 million was allocated in Budget 2025 for this group.

The group is made up of an estimated 3,500 farmers who lost out on vital farmer supports due to cuts in public expenditure by the government following the last recession.

The forgotten farmers had typically set up their agricultural holdings before 2008 and were under 40 in 2015, but did not qualify for Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) supports as had other young farmers at that time.

Both Deputy Kerrane and Deputy Collins had questioned Minister Heydon on what was happening in relation to the forgotten farmers, his predecessor, Fianna Fáil TD, Charlie McConalogue - now Minister of State at the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media - had previously said a scheme would be finalised in 2024.

But according to Minister Heydon it is not quite there yet.

He told Deputy Kerrane and Deputy Collins: "Work is ongoing to address a number of remaining issues, before the details of the eligibility requirements and benefits to successful applicants under any scheme can be finalised.

Minister Heydon also confirmed that the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has received "representations" from both public representatives, farming bodies and from individual prospective applicants in relation to the forgotten farmer issue.

DAFM had developed a “preliminary outline of a proposal” to provide support to the forgotten farmer group last year.