Prompt ACRES & Fodder Transport Payments Needed
IFA Rural Development chair John Curran has called on Minister McConalogue to ensure maximum payments are delivered on time to all farmers in the coming weeks, as promised.
“Cashflow is becoming more and more of a problem on many farms, across all sectors. Minister McConalogue needs to ensure there are no hold-ups with payments, whether that’s balancing ACRES payments; BISS Eco-scheme payments; or Fodder Transport payments. In Tuesday’s Budget, he needs to land a series of targeted measures to support the most vulnerable farm sectors,” he said.
“Delayed/recouped ACRES payments have compounded cashflow pressure on many farms, particularly hill farms and those in SAC areas. The Department needs 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.”
“There is a particular cohort of ACRES applicants too, fewer than 300 in total, that have received no payment at all. Some arrangement needs to be made for these farmers. They cannot always be at the end of the queue to be sorted out and paid, not knowing where they stand. They entered the scheme in good faith, so they need to be paid in good time also.”
“Fewer than 700 applied for the Fodder Transport Support Scheme last April and are still waiting. We were told it was coming mid-August; then Sept 20th; and now we are hearing it could be mid-October before payments commence. It’s just not good enough. Farmers in limbo can’t budget and schedule repayments. Many are waiting on these payments to make arrangements for the coming winter too. The Department needs to sort this out and get money into farmers’ accounts as soon as possible,” John Curran concluded.
