Over 6,000 farmers could benefit to the tune of €20m worth of entitlements by 2019 due to a decision to implement the “Scottish derogation” in Ireland.

It will see payment entitlements allocated to farmers who actively farmed in 2013 but never held entitlements under the Single Payment Scheme.

Announcing the details on Wednesday, Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney said that, for a variety of reasons, a number of active farmers did not establish entitlements under the Single Payment Scheme and consequently do not hold an allocation right for the purposes of establishing entitlements under the new scheme.

To exclude such farmers from the Basic Payment Scheme would place these farmers at a significant disadvantage, he said.

The Scottish derogation is only available to farmers who farmed beef, dairy, sheep or arable in 2013. They must verify production for that year – the Department AIMS database and flock census are set to be key for livestock farmers.

The application process for the Scottish derogation will be made available online in April. The successful farmers will get around €30/ha including greening in 2015. This will increase in four additional equal steps to around €155/ha, 60% of the national average, by 2019.