The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) issued €17.7 million in payments to the estates of deceased farmers in 2023.
The department’s Inheritance Enquiry Unit was set up to liaise with representatives of a deceased farmer and the various sections within the department.
Staff in the unit helps representatives of a deceased farmer to secure outstanding payments and deal with other farming related paperwork.
Over the course of last year, the unit responded to requests for assistance from 1,760 families around the country.
DAFM
According to DAFM, the service helps bereaved farm families who have suffered a sudden loss and who may not have experience in dealing with day-to-day issues that might bring them into contact with the department in relation to schemes and services.
The department said that following the death of a farmer there are generally two issues to be dealt with:
- Change to the registration details of the herd number/herd keeper;
- Payment of any outstanding monies due to the estate of the deceased and the transfer of any single payment entitlements held by the late farmer.
The Inheritance Enquiry Unit can offer advice on a range of issues, including identifying farm schemes in which the deceased person had been part of, along with establishing whether there are any outstanding payments due.
The unit make arrangements for the issue of any outstanding payments due to estate of the deceased and for the transfer of single payment entitlements.
The department advised that the executor or administrator of the estate of the deceased farmer or the solicitor dealing with the administration of the estate should make contact with the unit.
The principle documents needed to complete the process include a copy of the will and grant of probate or letters confirmed the administrator of the estate where no will exists.