Matthew McGreehan

Hill sheep farmer, Co Louth

“There are still a huge amount of issues to be worked out on GLAS. We’re also disappointed that farmers will only get a maximum three months of payments for 2015. Some farmers have been out of REPS and have no other environmental payment since 2013, it’s not right for those to keep missing out.

“Planners don’t seem to know all the rules yet and are telling farmers that they are still waiting on clarity from the Department. Farmers need clarity on these issues to be able to make the correct decisions.”

Pat Murray

Suckler and sheep farmer, Co Wexford

“There’s an awful lot of disappointment in Wexford over GLAS. It’s totally unacceptable that the best way of many farmers to get high payments is through unproductive measures such as traditional hay meadow or low-input pasture measures. We can’t penalise productive farmers.

“Farmers need to be reassured that just because they are productive doesn’t mean that they’ll be excluded from GLAS.”

John Lynskey

Sheep farmer, Co Mayo

“Sheep farmers have always been heavily dependent on receiving an agri-environment as an income support. To make it worthwhile, all sheep farmers must be eligible for the €5,000 maximum payment. There needs to be priority access.

“Saying that, farmers must closely examine all the measures that are in GLAS to maximise their payment. The money is there so we can’t let it pass by.”

Mary Mullane

Suckler farmer, Co Limerick

“I think it’s a very overrated scheme, totally overrated. We’ve heard an awful lot of talk about GLAS and that it would be great, but I’ve seen nothing to support that at all yet.

“Farmers are going to have to jump through hoops to get their payment and the only way to make a few euro out of it is through wild bird cover or something like that. This is a backward step and there’s nothing in it for a lot of people.”

Liam Dunne

Tillage farmer, Co Kildare

“There’s still a bit of wait and see for tillage farmers. There are bits of information out there for people.

“I’m attending a Teagasc meeting on Thursday and I’m expecting to get more information out of that. It’s important to see a breakdown of all the measures available to farmers and then make a decision from there.

“The option for wild bird cover is one that tillage farmers are looking at.”

Concerns that not all farmers will get into GLAS

GLAS advisor focus: Breian Carroll of Carroll Consultancy

Getting into GLAS - the four measures to look at first

GLAS advisor focus: Michael Maloney of Maloney and Associates