Details of additional one-to-one clinics for farmers who are making their Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) application online have been announced by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Michael Creed.
The announcement comes ahead of the looming closing date for the receipt of all online BPS and transfer of entitlement applications, which is Wednesday, May 15.
Clinics
In recent weeks, the department has been holding clinics for farmers around the country to assist them in making their BPS and Transfer of Entitlements applications online.
The minister commented on the application, noting: “Online applications bring a range of benefits for farmers, and I am committed to ensuring that farmers have all the assistance they require in order to make these applications for essential scheme payments.
“With this in mind, I have asked officials in my department to put in place a further set of one-to-one clinics for farmers as the deadline of 15 May approaches.”
The minister commented: “These one-to-one clinics have proven very popular with farmers in recent weeks.
“To date, 96,200 farmers have already applied online, and many have availed of the chance to sit down with a member of staff from my department and make their online application on the spot.
Applications
“I would now urge any farmer who has not yet made their application to do so at the earliest opportunity.”
In addition to these arrangements, department staff have been assisting farmers in making their BPS and Transfer of Entitlements applications in its Portlaoise offices in recent weeks.
This service will be available for extended hours in the run up to the May 15 deadline in the department’s offices in Government Offices, Abbeyleix Road, Portlaoise.
- Between 9:00am and 5:30pm any working day this week;
- Between 9:30am and 5:00pm on Saturday, May 11;
- Between 9:00am and 9:00pm on Monday, May 13 and Tuesday, May 14;
- Between 9:00am and 12:00am on Wednesday, May 15.
The department’s phone help-desks will also be available for these same extended hours in the run up to the deadline.