The third round of GLAS is to commence on 1 January next year. However, due to complications that arise in relation to commonages, the IFA is calling for the commonage implementation committee to resolve these issues.

Hill farmers must not be denied entry to the scheme and the maximum flexibility in determining the minimum and maximum stocking levels must be in place, IFA hill committee chair Pat Dunne has said.

Currently, planners are assessing commonages but do not have the facility to make the online application for the commonage management plan. In a statement on Friday, Pat Dunne urged the Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed to open up the process for planners to submit the plans.

ADVERTISEMENT

He said that the IFA will not accept any delays in payments to the 7,000 commonage farmers who have applied for GLAS and whose Commonage Management Plan must be submitted by the end of October.

Dunne also insisted that once a commonage management plan is lodged, this triggers full payment to the commonage farmers involved.