Minister Must Deliver Maximum Payments on Time, to All – IFA
IFA National Rural Development Chair John Curran has asked the Minster for Agriculture to ensure maximum payments are given to all farmers on time starting with the Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme payments by making use of Commission approved flexibilities.
Mr. Curran’s comments came after the EU Commission authorised member states to pay higher advances of CAP funds to help liquidity problems on farms. EU Member States can now distribute up to 70% of direct payments as of October 16th compared with the 50%, they can currently provide. “Ireland has availed of this flexibility in recent years, and Minister McConalogue needs to do so again and ensure maximum payments are delivered to farmers on time this year,” John Curran said.
Mr. Curran highlighted the issue of cashflow which is becoming a growing problem for many Irish farmers. He also noted the IFA’s success in bringing a return to traditional payment dates this year.
“Minister McConalogue needs to ensure there are no hold-ups with payments, and in the upcoming Budget, he needs to land a series of targeted measures to support the most vulnerable farm sectors,” he added.
“Delayed/recouped ACRES payments have compounded cashflow pressure on many farms, particularly hill farms and those in SAC areas. The Department need to deliver on their commitments that maximum flexibility will apply to farmers needing to recoup some/all of interim payments received, and that at least 95% of outstanding balancing ACRES payments will be paid out by end-September,” the IFA National Rural Development Chair said.
“There are a particular cohort of ACRES applicants too, fewer than three hundred in total, that have received no ACRES payment at all. Some arrangement needs to be made for these farmers.”
Mr. Curran concluded saying “They cannot always be at the end of the queue to be sorted out and paid, often times not knowing where they stand. These farmers entered the scheme in good faith, so need to be paid in good time also,”.
