Fianna Fail Focused on Farmers’ Future
Press Release
The Fianna Fail Manifesto is focussed on securing the future of farming families with specific details on pensions for farmers’ wives, backing for younger farmers, and proposals for investing in qualifications in agriculture and agri-business, according to Fianna Fail candidate, Bobby Aylward.
“In order to protect and support family farmers, Fianna Fail will invest in improving competitiveness and promoting diversification on and off the farm and increasing the options for farmers. We will ensure that farming families have both the freedom to farm and to avail of all of the necessary supports, regardless of what way they farm or what agri-business they choose to pursue”, Bobby Aylward said.
He continued: “Fianna Fail is committed to fully implementing our Rural Development Programme so that farmers will benefit to the full from the increased payments and the new schemes that we have initiated. We will continue to support low-income farmers and their families through the Farm Assist Scheme and to adapt it in consultation with the farming organisations. And we are committed to reducing the regulatory burden on farmers.
“Farm families will also benefit from measures, including taxation measures, in order to assist farmers in maximising their income. We will further promote the benefits of REPS payments and achieve a participation rate of 70,000 farmers.
“A new On-Farm Investment Scheme, which will include aid for investment in housing, handling and related facilities, including rubber mats on slats, will assist farmers to develop their farms.
“Fianna Fail recognises the Trojan work done by farmers’ wives. We will continue to acknowledge the valuable economic contribution of all the spouses who work on the farm within the social insurance scheme. This follows the last Budget where we provided that recipients of Farm Assist could, for the first time, make PRSI contributions, thus enhancing their pensions.
“To support younger farmers and encourage them to remain on the land, Fianna Fail will continue to offer a range of supports to them, including education, taxation measures, and direct stand-up aid. We will also retain the Stamp Duty relief that continues to play an important role in the early hand-over of farmer to the younger generation. We will provide training courses for young and adult farmers and we will ensure that there are night-time and e-learning options. We will also introduce a new syllabus for the Leaving Certificate Agriculture Science and we will continue to invest in our Agriculture Colleges.
“Fianna Fail knows the importance of supporting farming families who are the very backbone of our rural communities. This is why we are focussing on providing practical support for farming families in our Manifesto”, Bobby Aylward concluded.
ENDS
6 May, 2007