Local TD Seán Canney has expressed his dismay that the Department of Agriculture is proposing to push back the payment dates for important agriculture support schemes to farmers.
The Independent TD said that in times of increased cost of doing business, it is ‘unbelievable’ the Department would even contemplate such a move.
He said it comes as farmers are grappling to keep their farming activities alive and are planning cash flow around these payments.
“I understand that the Department made the proposal at yesterday’s meeting of the Farmers’ Charter which would mean the payment dates of certain schemes would be pushed back by up to a month,” said the Galway East deputy.
“A proposal to hold back ANC payments by four weeks and set a new payment date of mid-October is an insult to farmers when they are expecting these payments in September at a critical time to the farm family and when there are so many demands on the farm and within the family household budget.”
Deputy Canney said that another proposal is to delay the BISS payment by one week which will also lead to ‘unnecessary hardship’ for farmers.
“Every week delay is adding pressure on the farming sector and the Department need to get their act together and stop playing games with farmers money, and which would be unacceptable in any sector of business. I ask the Minister to intercede and stop this nonsense.”
