The extension of the closing date for submission of appeal forms for 2012 Disadvantaged Area Scheme to August 31 gives some breathing space to farmers but does not defend this latest farming farce according to Sinn Féin Councillor Rose Conway-Walsh.
According to Cllr Conway-Walsh last week more than 8,000 farmers received letters querying their eligibility for the 2012 Disadvantaged Area Scheme. This follows a measure introduced in December 2011 as part of the budget whereby the minimum stocking levels required for this grant was doubled along with increasing the retention period from three months to six months.
“The sole purpose of this move by Minister Coveney and his Fine Gael and Labour colleagues was to save €30 million. It was clear from the outset that farmers in the west of Ireland with marginal/poor land would be most affected by this measure,” explained the Sinn Féin representative.
“The changes in the scheme were bad enough but the Minister decided that they would be implemented retrospectively. Farmers’ stocking density in 2011 will now decide their eligibility for a payment in 2012 and 2013. Farmers first became aware of these changes in December 2011 and were notified by letter in May 2012. This was too late for anyone to restock to increase their 2011 stocking density. Although, a significant number of farmers bought livestock just after the budget, when prices were at a premium, wrongly thinking that this would ensure their eligibility for DAS.
“Furthermore, the EU Commission rejected these proposals initially on the basis that the stocking levels proposed were too stringent and they believed the move would lead to vast areas of land being left derelict. EU approval was only received in the past fortnight.”
According to Cllr Conway-Walsh the responsibility for this latest farming “farce” rests squarely on the shoulders of the current Government and “demonstrates their lack of understanding of rural Ireland”.
“Farmers need to include the many reasons for not reaching the stocking levels like commonage destocking, REPS and AEOS restrictions on designated land as well as ill-health. “The return letters need to be completed carefully and returned by the new closing date. Sinn Féin believes it is wrong to throw another layer of red-tape at farmers who are already experiencing one of the harshest years in history,” she concluded.
