A Roscommon-Galway TD has said that Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue’s latest reply on where the solution is for ‘forgotten farmers’ shows it is “even further away”.
Deputy Claire Kerrane has repeatedly urged Minister McConalogue to set out the details of his Department’s proposed scheme for forgotten farmers, with details of a proposed scheme expected to be announced in the first quarter of this year.
However, she said that the Minister’s recent reply to a Parliamentary Question suggests that the Minister has no intention of announcing details anytime soon.
Speaking this week the Sinn Féin TD said that the response was ‘deeply disappointing’, given that he had previously indicated that he would follow up with his Department on the matter when she queried him in the Dáil in May.
“His reply also referenced that a number of issues still require work, including ‘the funding required and consistency with public expenditure’, before eligibility requirements and scheme details can be finalised,” said Deputy Kerrane.
“I find it incredible that these details have not yet been ironed out, given the delay to introducing a solution and the fact that details of the scheme were supposed to be announced in the early months of this year.”
The local TD said that during that time we have had a Budget announcement, and the Minister ‘has had ample opportunity to secure funding’ with regards to public expenditure as part of this annual process.
“In our Alternative Budget 2024, Sinn Féin included a proposal to provide compensation for the forgotten farmers, and we have included it in our previous Budget proposals too.
“The clear lack of urgency from this government in addressing the issue does not inspire hope that a scheme will be announced anytime soon and it seems likely this will now go into 2024.
“This can only be a further source of frustration for these farmers, who have already waited far too long for a solution.”
