The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue has instructed his officials to apologise to farmers who saw penalties owed under the Beef Exceptional Aid Measure (BEAM) scheme applied as deductions to their Areas of Natural Constraint (ANC) scheme payments without being informed beforehand.
A spokesperson for the minister told Agriland this evening (Wednesday, September 15): “Since taking office, Minister McConalogue has acutely understood some of the challenges around the BEAM scheme.
“Through negotiation, he secured a new reference period to assist those participants who were facing challenges with meeting the requirements of the scheme,” the spokesperson added.
“The minister accepts that the way in which the department deducted money from participants who decided not to avail of the reference extension period was not properly handled.”
The spokesperson went on the say: “Greater sight of the process should have been given to those farmers.”
It was confirmed that farmers would be issued with an apology for that way in which theses deduction were handled.
“The minister has instructed his officials to issue an apology to his cohort of farmers for the premature manner in which farmers had the monies deducted, albeit they did not meet the criteria of the scheme,” the minister’s spokesperson concluded.
Yesterday, the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) raised concerns that farmers may see their ANC payments impacted by their BEAM penalties.
Michael Biggins, the association’s rural development chairperson, said farmers who would expect their ANC payments in the coming days “cannot have it deducted”.
“It’s an important payment for farmers who have bills to pay,” Biggins said.
It was announced today that payments under the ANC scheme are now issuing, with some 85,000 farmers in line to receive payments amounting to almost €182 million.
In line with last year’s arrangement, the payments currently issuing are an 85% advance payment on the ANC Scheme. 15% balancing payments are due to commence in early December.