Macra National President, Sean Finan, is seeking a meeting with Coveney to convey the anger and frustration of young farmers who have not yet received payment under various CAP schemes.

Macra is seeking clarification on delays to payments due to farmers who recently commenced their agricultural education in order to qualify for the Young Farmer Scheme (YFS). It is also looking for an update on payments due to young farmers relating to Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) top-ups and National Reserve (NR).

Finan said that young farmers who are farming in partnership are seemingly the most common type of young farmer to be affected by the delay in the BPS payment.

He also said "the additional issue of young farmers in family partnerships who have not been recognised by CAP 2007-2013 and CAP 2015-2020 remains unresolved and must be addressed by Minister Coveney”.

3,000 still awaiting payment

Irish Farmers Journal CAP specialist Peter Young wrote before Christmas that around 3,000 farmers are still awaiting payment under the BPS and that "the majority of farmers not yet paid appear to be involved in partnerships or companies".

Just over 120,000 farmers have been paid a total of €1.0725bn in BPS payments so far with the next pay run due in early 2016.

Meanwhile, as predicted by the Department of Agriculture in mid-December, the majority of YFS applicants will be paid in early January. The same situation applies to NR applicants, where more than 50% remain unpaid.

Finan says the purpose of his requested meeting with Coveney is to gain "a full understanding of the issues behind these delays and to try to expedite matters so that Macra can communicate with young farmers and assist them in dealing with this situation".

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