Opening of Glas Welcome – IFA Calls for Ambitious Targets

IFA Rural Development Chairman Joe Brady has said the opening of GLAS 3 is a welcome development and he called for at least 15,000 farmers to be brought into the scheme in this phase to bring the total to in excess of 50,000.

Joe Brady said, the objective of Minister Creed must be to ensure that the GLAS scheme is worth €250m annually to Irish farmers, as was set out in the Rural Development Plan 2014-2020.

The IFA Rural Development Chairman said that it is now important that farmers who are contemplating joining the scheme sit down with their consultants to devise a plan that maximises their payment. Farmers should insist planners visit their farm so that the measures chosen are practical and meet the needs of the farmer for the five-year programme.

Joe Brady reminded farmers that the plans submitted now will commence on January 1st 2017 with full year payments being made later next year.