Over 27,500 Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) applications have been submitted to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to date.

Out of this total, some 24,094 applications have been completed online; this represents a portion of close to 87.5%.

The remaining 3,431 applications were submitted in hard-copy format, the Department confirmed.

The scheme opened for applications in mid-March and the deadline is set to close in a little over a month on May 15.

This year farmers are allowed to submit their applications in both paper and online format. However, in 2018 it is expected that 100% of BPS applications will be required to be submitted online.

The Minister for Agriculture, Michael Creed, has previously said that he hoped to build on the recent growth in online applications to the BPS in 2017.

There is a range of benefits that online applications provide to both farmers and the Department, he added, in terms of the more efficient processing of applications and payments.

In 2018, 100% of BPS applications will have to be made online to keep inline with EU regulations.

Department assistance

The Department has recently opened its doors to farmers having difficulties with BPS applications, by making a range of supports available to assist farmers submitting their BPS applications online.

This initiatives are aimed at making it easier for farmers to gain the benefits of online applications.

To accommodate this, farmers will be able to meet with Department staff on a one-to-one basis in various locations throughout the country. See the full list of locations here

Farmers encountering difficulties can also contact a dedicated helpline at: 0761-064420 and information on how to apply is also available on the Department’s website.