Independent councillor Michael Holmes has hit out at the Minister for Agriculture, Brendan Smith, for the delay in making REPS 4 payments to farmers, stating that the hold-up was simply unacceptable. He said that many farmers submitted their completed application forms more than a year ago and still have not received payment. He also denounced the Minister’s current policy of ‘drip-feeding’ REPS 4 payments.
According to Holmes, the failure to pay out is causing huge financial strain on farmers. “Seven thousand seven hundred farmers are still waiting for payment under REPS 4, out of a total of 10,800 applications. Many farmers have already paid their planners, and some have carried out a lot of work in year one of their plans. The hold-up is absolutely disgraceful. First farmers were promised their payments in September, then November, then by Christmas, and now they say they have to closely examine individual plans – that should have been done months ago.”
Holmes went on to sharply criticise the Department’s approach to inspecting and processing REPS 4 plans. “A huge percentage of plans are being rejected for the most minor of issues, in many cases as a result of differing interpretations of REPS 4 rules. I have been inundated with calls from irate farmers, annoyed that their applications have been considered ineligible or have been sent back by the Department. I have spoken to their planners who seem confused with the reasons why plans have been rejected. When they have sought clarification from Department officials, they in turn seem to be equally as confused. I believe this is simply another tactic employed by the Minister to delay paying out to farmers the money they are owed.”
Holmes concluded by stating it was unacceptable to leave farmers in a quandary about if and when they can expect to receive their payments.
