Commission on Generational Renewal needs to deliver

The establishment of the Commission on Generational Renewal was warmly welcomed by Macra at the Tullamore Show last year. For young farmers, this brought hope that the Government was finally recognising the importance of the issue and taking the initial steps towards supporting a future for them.
However, the promised report from the Commission has yet to be delivered, and with Budget 2026 looming, hopes are fading that this report will have any meaningful impact. Since the establishment of the Commission, Macra has actively engaged to ensure the young person’s voice would be heard.
Macra President Josephine O’Neill commented, “In January 2025, we organised a series of well-attended public consultations to gather the views of our members and older farmers. We gave our members an opportunity to have their voices heard and used these views to underpin our submission to the Commission”
Earlier this year, the organisation met with the Commission, welcoming the opportunity to highlight the key areas of the submission and stress the importance of succession to young farmers. Since then, Macra has been anxiously waiting for the release of the report and is extremely disappointed that it has yet to be delivered.
“Generational Renewal must become a key issue for our Government, to ensure a future for our young farmers and for rural Ireland. Our Government must now show that this was not just a political promise but a meaningful exercise” stated O’Neill.
The organisation has long been lobbying for action on Generational Renewal and continues to call on the Government to finally take action to ensure the delivery of the report.