Richard V Scally, Ballyteague, Ballycommon, Tullamore, Co Offaly

DEAR SIR: Having attended a number of meetings on GLAS and spoken to farmers and planners over the past number of weeks, there is no doubt there is still a lot of confusion on the new scheme.

It is important that the IT and technical issues must be resolved so that applications can now be formally accepted by the Department of Agriculture.

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This, combined with an extension of the closing date to 22 May next, will help in getting a significant number of farmers to join the scheme at this time with a meaningful payment being made later this year. However, there is now need for clarity from the Minister in relation to the number of farmers who will join the scheme before the closing date.

This includes allowing all farmers who apply for the scheme to be accepted as well as a commitment that the scheme will re-open again in the autumn.

This is necessary given the uncertainty that some farmers have whether they join the scheme now or wait till later. The failure of Minister Coveney to move on the splitting of parcels issue has left him with no choice but to announce a definite opening date for the scheme later this year. This will allow farmers to plan to join the scheme when they make their SPS application at the end of May by digitising out parcels on which they plan to carry out either area based or linear measures.

It will also allow farmers to maximise their payments and to take on measures that best suit their farming situation.