Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue has welcomed the members of the Commission on Generational Renewal in Farming at its first meeting today (Thursday, November 7).

Speaking after the meeting, the minister said he was pleased that the first meeting has now taken place and that he was delighted to meet with the members, each of whom are bringing “valuable skills and knowledge” to the group.

A commission to examine the complex factors involved in generational renewal was proposed by the minister in August this year. Last month, the members of the commission have been unveiled, including its chair, Aidan O’Driscoll.

Other members of the commission include:

  • Prof. Thia Hennessy, head of the College of Business and Law at University College Cork (UCC);
  • Dr. Emma Dillon, economist and senior research officer with Teagasc;
  • Aisling Meehan, solicitor, tax consultant, farmer and member of Women in Agriculture Working Group;
  • Thomas Duffy, dairy farmer, former president of Macra;
  • Trevor Boland, accountant; 
  • Seán Bell, chief economist, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).

Minister McConalogue thanked the commission members for their commitment to this “important task” and wished them success in their work. Following the first meeting, the minister added:

“We have many supports in place for young farmers through the CAP [Common Agricultural Policy], the taxation system, access to finance, and in the range of educational and advisory supports from Teagasc.

“However, I have asked the commission to consider whether these existing measures are effective in encouraging young people into farming or if they should be adjusted.”

The minister welcomed that, with the publication of the final report of the European Commission’s Strategic Dialogue on the Future of EU Agriculture, there will be increased emphasis on the “very important” issue in the time ahead at EU level.

Entitled ‘A shared prospect for farming and food in Europe’, the report presents an assessment of challenges and opportunities, followed by a set of recommendations which are structured in five pillars, including on generational renewal.

The minister added that the current CAP 2023-2027 also cites generational renewal as one of its nine key objectives and that the European Commission is expected to publish its proposals for a post-2027 CAP during 2025.

“I believe that this is an appropriate time to consider this issue at a national level.

“Public and stakeholder consultations will be a central part of this process and I would ask anyone with an interest in this issue to engage with the consultation process when it is launched.

“I look forward to a full assessment of generational renewal in farming and a report on options being completed before the end of quarter 2, 2025,” Minister McConalogue said.