The Department of Agriculture has committed to paying the first instalment of the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) and Greening from Tuesday 16 October. This advance instalment will make up 70% of the total payment for 2018.

The 30% balancing BPS payment is due in early December. There are over 100,000 farmers in the scheme.

Earlier this year, Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed sought a derogation from the European Commission to bring advanced payments under the BPS scheme forward to 16 October. This was confirmed a number of weeks ago.