IFA president Joe Healy led a protest on behalf of farmers awaiting long overdue GLAS payments at the Department of Agriculture on Kildare Street this week.

GLAS payments were due in October, but a significant number of farmers have yet to be paid, despite having completed the actions required, incurring significant costs and planning fees in doing so.

Healy said: “This is an extremely frustrating situation; farmers are at their wits’ end and getting little response from the Department of Agriculture or the minister as to when they can expect their payments to be made.

“It is absolutely unacceptable that farmers who joined GLAS almost two years ago, and who were promised payments last October, are still waiting with no definite answers as to when they can expect to get paid.

“Farmers have upheld their side of the bargain, complying with the scheme and carrying out actions, at significant cost and effort. The Minister for Agriculture and Department of Agriculture need to show the same level of commitment and ensure that payments are made immediately.”

Commitment

IFA rural development chair Joe Brady pointed out that under the Charter of Farmers’ Rights, the Department committed to making GLAS payments in October. However, he said, even the 28,000 farmers who have so far been paid did not receive their payment until December and there has been virtually no movement on payments since then, leaving €35m due to farmers.

Brady said: “Farmers cannot afford to be left waiting for vital support payments such as GLAS. Excuses placing the blame on IT systems and administration matters are not good enough; these issues should have been sorted out a long time ago. In some cases, farmers whose payments are held up were required to send documentation to the Department, which they have now done to no response.