Penalty interest has been applied to 77 farmers who did not avail of a deferral for the beef exceptional aid measure (BEAM) scheme before 21 June 2021 deadline and subsequently did not pay the recoupment cost to the Department of Agriculture before the 30-day repayment deadline passed.

For the farmers involved, it is understood the BEAM payment was not recouped directly by the Department through the Areas of Natural Constraint (ANC) and Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS) grants, as was the case for many farmers in September.

The 77 farmers are spread across the country and have had interest applied to them totalling €1,102.79, or an average of €14.32 per farmer.

The Irish Farmers Journal analysed the data provided by Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue in response to a parliamentary question from Sinn Féin spokesperson for agriculture Matt Carthy.

Breakdown

The 77 farmers represent just over 2% of the approximately 3,600 BEAM participants who faced a recoupment for failing to meet the commitments of the scheme under the original emissions reduction period.

With a total of 15 farmers, Tipperary is the county with the highest number of BEAM participants who received penalty interest fines due to lack of payment. The beef farmers in the county were fined a total of €134.91, or an average of €8.99 each.

In total, almost 40% of all farmers who received penalty interest fines are in Munster.

Farmers receiving the highest rate of penalty interest were in Donegal, Longford, Louth, Meath, Sligo and Waterford, at or above €23 each.