While welcoming the announcement that GLAS will reopen for a second tranche of applicants in the autumn, ICMSA President John Comer said on Tuesday that many dairy farmers who were previously in REPS were walking away from the new environmental scheme because it is "not practical nor suitable for their farm".

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Comer gave the example of the requirement to spread 100% of slurry by low-emission means. "If a lower figure was selected, it would allow the farmer to spread a percentage with the traditional method in the event of ground conditions not being suitable for the heavier low emissions equipment," he argued.

Comer added that amendments to GLAS were required to facilitate access for all farmers, especially those with high stocking rates or small acreages.

The ICMSA has also called on the department to alter the Knowledge Transfer Scheme and make its payments available directly to participating farmers rather than through group advisors.

"It is totally unacceptable that under the scheme, the €750 payment per farmer will be paid to the facilitator of the Group and the farmer will then have to wait for the facilitator to pay him/her," Comer said. He added this amount to "complication rather than simplification" of payments administration.