Independent TD for Offaly Carol Nolan has welcomed confirmation that late applications are being accepted for the Fuel Income Support Scheme.

Deputy Nolan was speaking after she engaged with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) on the matter.

The TD called for farmers and agricultural and forestry contractors who missed the application window to be "treated with maximum fairness and understanding.

Fuel

The €85 million Fuel Income Support Scheme was introduced as a "targeted income support" to assist farmers and agricultural and forestry contractors facing "unprecedented increases in fuel costs".

Over 32,000 applications were made online through the AgFood portal by farmers for the scheme.

While the department previously told Agriland in "excess of 3,000 contractor applications have been submitted".

The application deadline for the scheme closed at midnight on June 2, having been extended by a week.

Deputy Nolan said that the department has confirmed that while the scheme has not been "reopened", farmers and contractors who did not apply in time can now submit a late application to [email protected].

The email should outline the reasons for missing the original deadline.

"These are people dealing with long working hours, weather pressures, machinery breakdowns, and the ongoing financial strain of rising fuel costs.

"I strongly welcome the fact that late applications will be considered, but it is vital that the department continues to adopt a flexible and fair approach when assessing these cases," Deputy Nolan said.

The TD encouraged anyone affected to review the scheme requirements and submit their late application without delay.

"No genuine farmer or contractor should be excluded from support because of an overly restrictive timeline.

"This scheme is essential for keeping machinery moving and ensuring vital work continues in fields and forests across the country," she added.