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Fianna Fáil TD Thomas Byrne is seeking a meeting with Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed after meeting over 30 farmers in the Louth-Meath area who have not received any form of farm payment to date.
He said the situation is “causing considerable hardship in the south Louth and east Meath region”.
An updated Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS) was piloted in Co Louth this year. Farmers were invited to a Department meeting in March and promised that the new software would not affect their payments.
Dairy and tillage, Louth/Meath
“We were initially told by the Department last March that Louth was part of a pilot scheme. We were told that under no circumstances would there be a delay to payments.
We haven’t had any payment yet and there’s been no correspondence from the Department. I’ve rang the Department every week since 15 October and get the same answer every time - that a satellite inspection hasn’t been completed and that’s causing the delay.”
Tillage farmer, Louth
“Nothing has come through, I’ve had delays with payments before but nothing on this scale. When I contacted the Department they told me I hadn’t made the BPS application. It nearly gave me a heart attack but it turned out that the Department computer hadn’t been able to pick up the new field numbers in the pilot scheme.
“The problem is the Department isn’t held accountable. If I had made a mistake I’d be penalised but the Department can’t be bothered to get their act together.”
Sheep farmer, Louth/Meath
“I haven’t got a cent yet. I’ve rang the Department several times and they said they haven’t completed a satellite inspection. I’ve never had issues like this before. There’s a lot of people around the area who have been affected.
“This lack of payment on top of bad sheep prices is hitting us hard. I don’t know how we’re going to get over the Christmas. There’s fellas calling to the door looking for money and I’m waiting on the payment to come through.”
Tillage and beef, Meath
“It’s desperate carry on, we haven’t got a penny off the Department yet. We’ve had cross-compliance inspections before but nothing as bad as this. The Department line is it is a satellite inspection issue. Every day you’re living in hope but it’s getting near Christmas and you’d be worried nothing will come till January now. No one seems to know anything but I know up to 15 people around here all in the same boat.”
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