Fianna Fáil TD for Roscommon/Galway Eugene Murphy has hit out at Minister Michael Creed for failing to meet his own targets of having all 2016 GLAS payments made by the end of April. Deputy Murphy said that the latest figures obtained by Fianna Fáil through a parliamentary question revealed that nationally there are more than 3,000 farmers still waiting on their 2016 GLAS payments to be made.
“Farmers throughout the country are getting increasingly frustrated and angry at this ongoing situation. The latest figures show that a total of 576 GLAS 1 &2 farmers in counties Galway and Roscommon are still waiting on 85 per cent of their 2016 payment. Some 136 farmers in County Roscommon are still awaiting payment while 440 farmers in County Galway have also been left waiting.
The Minister is neglecting farmers who have invested thousands of euro in the scheme and who have made plans in anticipation of these payments. Indeed many farmers who have contacted my constituency office are under increasing pressure from the banks and they are struggling to make ends meet,” said Deputy Murphy.
The Fianna Fáil TD said that these delays were continuing despite a recent Farmers Charter of Rights meeting, where Minister Creed’s Department committed that all outstanding payments would be made by the end of April.“There are also concerns about a drop off in the number of farmers participating in the scheme. The data shows that there are only 37,000 GLAS applicants remaining, despite an initial 38,000 being approved. This reduced participation level will further increase the underspend in GLAS.
