I did a double-take last week when Ireland South MEP Billy Kelleher announced a new month-long extension for BPS applications.

The European Commission had indeed offered an extension, but the Department had duly declined the offer well before Kelleher got wind of it.

At the end of Kelleher’s announcement, he included an email address to give farmers “real time updates”.

He might have to start emailing himself before making any more announcements in the future.

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