The IFA has been given an assurance from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine that blockages to Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) applications, due to issues with the GLAS scheme, will be removed next week, which will allow all farmers to make their applications.
Richard Kennedy, Deputy President of the IFA, said some farmers were not able to make their BPS application online as their GLAS payments were delayed or because they had not yet been approved for GLAS III. He said the IFA has received an assurance that this situation will be resolved early next week.
Kennedy added that, at present, over 55,000 farmers have applied for BPS, with 90% of applications made online.
The scheme has been open since mid-March and will remain open for another two weeks. This year is the final year that paper applications are allowed, with all applications set to be completed online from next year on – in accordance with EU regulations.
This move comes following confirmation that the Department has guaranteed to follow through on all cleared GLAS payments by the end of April. The promise was made at the Farmers’ Charter of Rights Monitoring Committee meeting in Portlaoise, Co. Laois on April 6.
The delay in GLAS payments was down to technical issues, the Department clarified. These have now been resolved.
Farmers who have yet to complete their applications and who are finding the process difficult can contact a dedicated helpline on 0761-064420 or view the the Department’s website for application guidance.