Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon is being urged to review the criteria for applicants to the 'Forgotten Farmers' scheme.

The Irish Natura and Hill Farmers' Association (INHFA) has stressed the "need for the minister and his officials to go back to the drawing board".

INHFA national president Pheilim Molloy said they should "honour the understanding many of these farmers had when it came to providing them with long overdue support".

"These farmers have shown commitment to the industry through their ongoing farming activity despite being left behind when it came to ongoing young farmer and new entrant supports," Molloy said.

"Unfortunately, the pay-out on the scheme has seen many farmers overlooked."

A total of 809 applications out of 1,254 submitted to the 'Forgotten Farmers' scheme were "deemed ineligible" according to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

The scheme to Support Long Established Young Farmers - commonly referred to as the Forgotten Farmers - launched on July 22 and closed to applications on August 13 this year.

An allocation of €5 million was set out in Budget 2025 to fund the scheme.

Green cert

According to the INHFA, for most farmers, a key issue is the completion of the green cert (or its equivalent), with applicants required to have it completed by the May 29, 2015.

Pheilim Molloy said this has "come as a surprise, with many farmers citing how new entrants and young farmers applying for support under the 2014-2020 CAP were eligible, provided they had commenced their green cert by May of 2015".

"There is considerable anger relating to the qualifying criteria around the green cert and the manner in which it was introduced, which is why we are asking that this and all criteria be reviewed with a view to accommodating as many farmers as possible," Molloy added.

There are 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.