After long delays, the Department of Agriculture has confirmed that payments for farmers already participating in GLAS will begin to issue this week.
Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed said payments representing 85% of the full-year payment for 2016, the first full year of the scheme, will begin and are expected to reach bank accounts in the coming days. The Department has not confirmed an exact date when farmers can expect to see payments in their accounts, which is causing frustration. The remaining 15% will be paid in the new year after a small percentage of on-the-spot checks.
The Department also confirmed the first instalment of AEOS 2 and 3 payments has issued to eligible scheme participants. These AEOS payments, amounting to more than €17m, have been paid to more than 5,200 participants who are still in that scheme.
IFA rural development chair Joe Brady said frustration had been building among farmers at the delay. At last week’s meeting on the Charter of Farmers’ Rights, the Department promised that €124m would be paid out under GLAS before year end.
Stress
Sinn Féin agriculture spokesman Martin Kenny said that delays to GLAS payments has caused stress and frustration to farmers across the country.
“My office has been receiving calls from farmers saying that they are phoning the Department’s offices and being left holding for 20 minutes before being cut off with a message telling them that the high volume of calls means their queries cannot be answered,” he said.
GLAS III
About 14,000 GLAS III applications had been submitted before the scheme closed last Thursday 15 December. The Department said it is anticipated that approval letters will issue before the end of January for approval into the scheme. Farming organisations are hoping an extra effort will be made to allow all applicants into the scheme.
Read moreFull coverage: GLAS
After long delays, the Department of Agriculture has confirmed that payments for farmers already participating in GLAS will begin to issue this week.
Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed said payments representing 85% of the full-year payment for 2016, the first full year of the scheme, will begin and are expected to reach bank accounts in the coming days. The Department has not confirmed an exact date when farmers can expect to see payments in their accounts, which is causing frustration. The remaining 15% will be paid in the new year after a small percentage of on-the-spot checks.
The Department also confirmed the first instalment of AEOS 2 and 3 payments has issued to eligible scheme participants. These AEOS payments, amounting to more than €17m, have been paid to more than 5,200 participants who are still in that scheme.
IFA rural development chair Joe Brady said frustration had been building among farmers at the delay. At last week’s meeting on the Charter of Farmers’ Rights, the Department promised that €124m would be paid out under GLAS before year end.
Stress
Sinn Féin agriculture spokesman Martin Kenny said that delays to GLAS payments has caused stress and frustration to farmers across the country.
“My office has been receiving calls from farmers saying that they are phoning the Department’s offices and being left holding for 20 minutes before being cut off with a message telling them that the high volume of calls means their queries cannot be answered,” he said.
GLAS III
About 14,000 GLAS III applications had been submitted before the scheme closed last Thursday 15 December. The Department said it is anticipated that approval letters will issue before the end of January for approval into the scheme. Farming organisations are hoping an extra effort will be made to allow all applicants into the scheme.
Read moreFull coverage: GLAS
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