The opening date for GLAS applications has been pushed back until late January or early February 2015. It had previously been hoped that the scheme would be open before the end of this month.

The latest planned date was confirmed by Minister Simon Coveney in reply to Éamon Ó Cuív in the Dáil last week.

“We will do everything we can to deliver an application process that allows farmers to apply on time, and planners to put plans in place on time,” Minister Coveney said.

He said the plans “should not be too complicated”, and that he wanted to accept 30,000 farmers into the scheme next year. €20m is budgeted for GLAS for 2015, “for a three-month payment”, he added.

This would indicate a 1 October start date for GLAS plans. A farmer drawing down the maximum €5,000 in a full year would get €1,250 for three months next year. An extra €416 would be drawn down for every extra month the scheme is open.

IFA’s Rural Development chairman Flor McCarthy stressed that the most important date of all is the commencement date of the scheme, from which date successful applicants will be paid.