The “long overdue” 15% second phase GLAS payment for 2015 is now being made to around 24,000 farmers, IFA Rural Development Chairman, Joe Brady, has said.
The payments, which are worth nearly €5m, has been awaited for some time by farmers, he said.
In the case of commonage farmers, the payment due will be greater as the Department of Agriculture only paid out on up to 17ha when first phase payments were made at the end of 2015/ early 2016, according to the IFA.
This will bring to a conclusion the three-month payment due for 2015. Joe Brady said it is important that the 2016 GLAS payments commence in October.
“Following the recent EU agreement to allow 85% first phase payments to be made, it is important that this amount – worth about, €142m to 38,000 farmers who are in the scheme in 2016 – is paid.
“This payment should be followed shortly after by the 15% balance, which will be worth €25m, to bring the total value of GLAS this year to €167m.”
Brady said that these payments will be of huge importance in this very difficult year.
Furthermore, the IFA Rural Development Chairman called for the early opening of the third phase of GLAS to bring the total number in the scheme to 60,000.
3,000 GLAS farmers have not passed Department’s pre-payment validation checks for 2015
Last month, the Minister for Agriculture, Michael Creed, said that 3,000 farmers under GLAS have not passed all of the Department of Agriculture’s pre-payment validation checks for 2015.
The Minister was responding to a parliamentary question from Fianna Fail’s Agriculture Spokesman Charlie McConalogue who requested the number of farmers yet to pass the checks under the scheme.
Almost 19,000, of the 22,000 GLAS 1 applications due an outstanding 2015 payment , which in the majority represents the 2015 balancing payment, have successfully completed the most recent GLAS pre-payment validation checks for 2015.
“The outstanding amount due to these applicants will issue shortly. Queries on a further 1,800 cases are being processed.
“These include cases where there were issues on the applicants Basic Payment Claim or issues which arose at inspection.”
The remaining 1,200 applications, which includes cases where the applicant has amended their original application and cases which have had changes to land parcel information are being reviewed and processed by my Department on a case-by-case basis.
The Minister said that as these issues are resolved applications will be sent for payment on an ongoing basis.