Fine Gael Seanad Spokesperson on Agriculture, Food and the Marine and Senator for Mayo, Michelle Mulherin, has confirmed that €40,310,798 has been paid out to farmers in Mayo under the 2016 Basic Payment Scheme. Senator Mulherin said: “The Minister for Agriculture, Michael Creed, has confirmed to me that €40,310,798 has been paid out to farmers in Mayo under the 2016 Basic Payment Scheme. Nationally, payments worth over €714 million began issuing to in excess of 109,000 farmers last week.
She added: “The Department has received 11,983 applications from Mayo farmers under the Basic Payment Scheme, with 10,033 paid out so far. In times of price volatility for farmers, it is crucial that these payments are issued in the most efficient way possible to farmers here in Mayo who so depend on them. Minister Creed has prioritised the delivery of these payments at the earliest possible date allowable under EU legislation, and it is good to note also that with the move to full online application by 2018, the Department of Agriculture will be able to introduce further efficiencies into the processing of payments. This will make life a lot easier for farmers here in Mayo.
“Minister Creed also confirmed that payments to farmers under the Areas of Natural Constraints [ANC] Scheme also continue to issue as cases are confirmed for payment. Under the ANC Scheme, €177 million has now issued to some 82,000 farmers since payments commenced on September 20. The advance BPS payment and the ANC payments taken together mean that over €890M has now issued to Irish farmers in the last month. Payments under the Young Farmers Scheme and the coupled Protein Aid will commence in December 2016.
“Advance payments will continue issuing regularly until late November, with balancing payments to issue from the 1st of December. Any farmer with a question in relation to their BPS or ANC payments, can contact the Department at (076 ) 106 4420."
