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Some 2,138 farmers are set to be left in limbo without an environmental farm payment as the Agri-Environmental Options Scheme (AEOS) draws to a close.
Fianna Fáil spokesperson for agriculture Charlie McConalogue has insisted that the Department of Agriculture reopens the newer environmental scheme GLAS and allows farmers who have concluded AEOS to join it.
Fully subscribed
The Department has always insisted that GLAS is fully subscribed, but deputy McConalogue pointed to the fact that 3,000 farmers have withdrawn or been rejected from the scheme, meaning that scheme funds should be available for additional farmers.
Biggest-hit counties
The biggest-hit counties are Galway with 353 farmers affected, Mayo with 345 affected and Donegal with 299 affected.
“There actually has been a €62m underspend in the scheme, as of December 2018, so further unused monies are available,” McConalogue said.
“GLAS must be immediately reopened to farmers whose AEOS contracts finished in 2018.
“These farmers are being deprived of the opportunity to join the latest agri-environmental scheme GLAS.
"This is indefensible and denying them increased portability levels, while carrying out additional actions that are conducive with the protection of the environment and climate change mitigation.”
SHARING OPTIONS: