GLAS 2 is filling up with over 11,500 applications created to date, according to the Department of Agriculture.
The Department of Agriculture has confirmed to Agriland, that these applications have been made on its online system which went live on November 20 of this month.
These high levels of applications indicate that this scheme is almost full as the Minister for Agriculture had previously indicated that there would be 9,000-13,000 places available under GLAS 2.
According to early indications from the Department of Agriculture, 45% of these applicants will be classified as Tier 1, 20% will be entering the scheme as Tier 2 farmers will the remaining 35% will fall into Tier 3.
The Department also confirmed that the deadline for applications for this Rural Development Programme scheme is still December 7, 2015.
GLAS 1 applicants to receive payment before the end of 2015
The Department has also confirmed that it is working on issuing 85% of the 2015 part-year payment before the end of this year.
According to the Department, the current budget provided for GLAS in 2015 will be sufficient to cover this 85% payment for all eligible applications.
This 85% part-year payment will be made to all applicants with an October 1 start date and that meet the scheme’s validation protocols, it says.
The Department also confirmed that it is finalising its assessment of the 2,000 applications that had a query on their application and decisions on these cases should be made this week.