Agriculture Supports
Dail Éireann — 2026-07-09
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Martin Heydon (FG), Kildare South

I thank Deputy Byrne for raising this critical issue. It is one of the key issues of our time as regards our agricultural and fisheries sectors and beyond. It is not specific to Ireland or even to Europe. In Ireland, we have the extra challenge that farm families put huge store in educating their children very well, and are aided by the State in doing so, and those children then graduate into an economy at full employment with a lot of alternative options. That is all positive. It is a bit like the challenges the rising price of beef brings. These are positive challenges to have, but they are still very real challenges. We are trying to win the hearts and minds of young people who are considering a career in agriculture and farming in what is a very competitive space.
Farm succession is a key priority for the Government to ensure the long-term sustainability and competitiveness of Irish agriculture. A range of supports are in place to encourage timely succession, facilitate generational renewal and assist young farmers in establishing viable farm businesses.
Ireland's CAP strategic plan for 2023 to 2027 provides substantial resources to achieving generational renewal. Measures include: the complementary income support for young farmers; the national reserve scheme, which prioritises young farmers; and a higher grant rate of 60% for qualified young farmers under the TAMS capital investment measure. A collaborative farming grant scheme provides financial support to encourage farmers to form partnerships with young trained farmers and the succession planning advice grant provides financial support towards the costs incurred in accessing independent legal and financial advice in respect of succession planning for older farmers.
Nationally, there are very strong taxation measures to facilitate succession and assist with land mobility. For succession, agricultural relief is a key measure. Along with 100% stamp duty relief, consanguinity stamp duty relief and long-term leasing income tax relief, it supports access to land for young farmers and provides a route to retirement for older farmers. A number of taxation measures already exist. I can go into more detail in my supplementary response.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-07-09/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-14T01:01:07+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-07-09