DEAR EDITOR

From experience, it seems we farmers are having the wool pulled over our eyes.

I brought my son into partnership with me to help him build a slatted house, as he was under 40 and he could avail of a 60% grant. We employed a consultancy firm and had the partnership done legally. Building of the shed started late in 2022 and continued into early 2023 – the cost of the building materials went sky high.

It seems the payments are made on the lower of the Department of Agriculture’s reference costs, the proposed costs and receipted cost.

When we completed the shed, the price was way over as a result of materials going up, so we did not get the 60% on what it cost us. It’s an utter disgrace that the 60% grant is not the true percentage.