A total of 2,138 farmers completed their AEOS (Agri-Environmental Options Scheme) contracts in 2018, which was the final year for the scheme.

Farmers were eligible for payments up to €5,000/year through the scheme.

These farmers do not currently have the option of joining an agri-environmental scheme, with Minister Creed outlining that GLAS 3 is fully subscribed.

The biggest hit counties are Galway with 353 farmers affected, Mayo with 345 affected and Donegal 299 affected. These farmers are calling for the re-opening of GLAS.

Annual commitments to the remaining farmers in the scheme are approximately €203m

Currently there is approximately 48,896 involved in GLAS with over 3,000 farmers having withdrawn or being rejected from the scheme, according to the Department.

The average payment for farmers involved in the scheme is €4,155. This would mean that €12.5m initially allocated to these 3,000 farmers is no longer required.

Annual commitments to the remaining farmers in the scheme are approximately €203m.

In October 2018, it was announced that €48m initially allocated under GLAS would no longer be committed to the scheme.

This was following GLAS underspends of €33m in 2017 alone, with underspends of €40m occurring in 2016.

GLAS farmers wait on €6.4m

According to the most recent figures from the Department, there are still approximately 1,800 farmers who are waiting for 2018 85% advance payments through GLAS worth approximately €3,531/farmer or €6.4m in total.

Incomplete nutrient management plans, GLAS training, rare breed forms and low emission slurry spreading forms are highlighted as reasons for the delays.

Issues with maps have also been highlighted by advisors. Balancing payments are due to issue through the scheme from mid-May.

Payment delays blighted the scheme last year, with over 1,500 waiting for advance payments in April 2018.