While fewer than 4,000 farmers are awaiting their Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) payment, anger and frustration is mounting among those who have not yet been paid.

The Department of Agriculture confirmed that a total of 117,380 farmers have now received a BPS payment to a total of €1.025bn. This means that there are in the region of 4,000 awaiting payment. Delays in payments are related to transfer of entitlements, private contract clauses, dual claims, over claims and digitising of maps.

The Department said: “Every effort continues to be made to clear for payment the small percentage of outstanding cases. Regular pay runs will continue to be run in December to this end.”

There are also some 15,000 farmers still awaiting payments under the Areas of Natural Constraint (ANC). However, the vast majority of these farmers have yet to satisfy stocking rate criteria.

IFA acting president Tim O’Leary has called on the Department of Agriculture to issue all payments without delay. “The Department must act decisively and remove the obvious anxiety and tension that is growing over the delay of all types of payments,” O’Leary said.

“All payments under BPS, AEOS, GLAS and ANC must be made before the end of December this year.

Meanwhile, payments under the National Reserve and Young Farmers Scheme will begin next week. However, the Irish Farmers Journal understands that just 50% of these farmers will be paid in 2015 with the remaining 50% not being paid until January 2016. About 8,500 farmers signed up to the Young Farmer Scheme while there were in the region of 6,000 signed up to the National Reserve. Payments will begin from 14 December.