Mayo TD calls for publication of forgotten farmers survey before summer recess

MAYO Aontú TD Paul Lawless has called on the Minister for Agriculture to urgently publish the results of the long-awaited support scheme for the country’s ‘Forgotten Farmers’.

The survey was launched to identify the number of individuals eligible for support. The survey closed on May 30 and Deputy Lawless is calling for its publication as soon as possible.

“These are farmers who were caught in an administrative grey area - too young to qualify for supports when they started farming, but too old by the time the schemes came around. They have been overlooked for over a decade, through no fault of their own. They are rightly frustrated, and they deserve urgent action,” he said.

Deputy Lawless stressed that the survey must not become another bureaucratic black hole and called on the minister to ensure the results are published before the Dáil rises for the summer recess.

He said: “The survey has closed. The data is there. Now the department must assess it quickly and bring forward the eligibility criteria and details of the scheme. The €5 million awarded in Budget 2025 was welcome but how this money is allocated is equally important. There is no justification for kicking the can down the road yet again.

“These men and women have contributed to Irish agriculture for years and have waited long enough for support. They deserve clarity, respect and timely action on this.

"We will keep the Forgotten Farmers in the spotlight so that the department acts on this quickly."