The IFA has met with European Commission officials to appeal for flexibility on farmer payments in the next CAP.

If agreed, the change could help prevent delays in payment to farmers such as TAMS II. The IFA has proposed that where small over-claims or penalties apply, member states should be given the flexibility to pay most of a farmer’s money and apply a penalty to a portion of withheld funds.

For example, if a farmer incurred a penalty of less than 5% on a payment worth €10,000, the IFA would like to see the Department able to pay a large portion, such as 85%, of the €10,000 but keep the remaining 15% until the penalty has been paid and all associated checks cleared.

Under current rules, the Department of Agriculture often cannot pay any money until all checks are made and any penalties applied.

IFA’s rural development chair Joe Brady described delays in TAMS grants as unacceptable and they must be addressed in the CAP review.

“A yellow-card system must be put in place which will allow a significant part of the grant to be paid pending the resolution of whatever issue arises,” said Brady.

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