Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed announced the fast tracking of €31m in 2017 GLAS balancing payments as he came under fire at the Oireachtas Agriculture Committee on the fodder situation on Wednesday.

“There are lessons to be learned. I am not excluding the Department from that,” he told the committee.

The minister has written to the European Commission to bring forward the mid-May date for issuing GLAS payments. Sheep Welfare Scheme balancing payments (€2.8m) are to be issued in the coming weeks.

Fianna Fáil agriculture spokesperson Charlie McConologue called for the immediate re-introduction of low-cost loans to alleviate cashflow pressure on farms.

There was a collective call from all the deputies at the committee for the introduction of a meal voucher scheme.

“Farmers are facing significant additional feed costs and are under severe pressure. This is now a financial crisis as well as a fodder crisis,” IFA president Joe Healy said.

The IFA has called on the minister to lift the €1.5m cap on the fodder import scheme and suspend all farm inspections and Bord Bia audits.

Minister Creed is meeting farm organisations this Thursday to discuss the situation.

Farmers count cost of fodder crisis

‘There are lessons to be learned’ - Creed

Deputies at the Oireachtas Agriculture Committee have called on the Minister for Agriculture to introduce a meal voucher scheme and low cost loans.