Over €50m previously earmarked for payments to farmers under the GLAS and Knowledge Transfer (KT) schemes are no longer committed to these schemes, according to a new report published by the Comptroller and Auditor General.

The report includes final accounts for all Government departments for 2017 and commitments for future years. The commitment to GLAS is now €48m smaller than explained by payments made to farmers over the past year. On KT, the commitment shows a €6m unexplained drop.

Rejected

A note to the accounts explains that some farmers left GLAS, were rejected or moved to a later tranche of the scheme. A Department spokesperson acknowledged that GLAS and KT payments fluctuate from year to year, but did not explain the overall drop in GLAS and KT commitments.

The accounts show a €102m underspend by the Department of Agriculture in 2017, €80m of which came from underspent farm schemes.

Underspend

This is the second year running that the Department’s underspend exceeds €100m.

Fianna Fáil agriculture spokesperson Charlie McConalogue told the Irish Farmers Journal that according to figures he obtained in July, 73% of GLAS money and 83% of KT funds for the period 2014 to 2020 remained unspent.

“GLAS must be reopened at once,” he said, also raising the alarm on slow payments under TAMS II.

“It is shocking to see that the Department had a gross deficit in spending of €102m for 2017 considering the severe cashflow crisis facing farmers,” Deputy McConalogue added.

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