Cabinet Committees
Dail Éireann — 2026-02-10
============================================================

Malcolm Byrne (FF), Wicklow-Wexford

The issue of generational renewal is critical in the context of the forthcoming CAP negotiations. I know it has been raised in the discussions with Commissioner Hansen. The Taoiseach will be aware that almost 40% of farmers are now aged 65 and over, whereas fewer than 5% are under the age of 35. He will know that Macra na Feirme has been seeking, as an essential part of the next CAP, fully funded succession schemes. I know in my own case that both Wicklow Macra and Wexford Macra are very active on these issues. It is critical, if we are to safeguard rural communities and the future of the traditional family farm, that we have fully funded succession schemes in place under a fully funded CAP. I would like the Taoiseach to give a commitment that this will be a priority in the discussions on the next CAP.

---

Source: Houses of the Oireachtas. Licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). The Official Report is revised after first publication; the fetch timestamp below identifies the version quoted.

Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-02-10/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:36+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-02-10