A Roscommon-Galway TD has called on the government to make use of the Brexit Adjustment Reserve (BAR) to provide supports to farmers before time runs out.
The deadline for use of the BAR is the end of this year, and Deputy Claire Kerrane says that unused funds of around €150 million will then be returned to the EU and added to another fund – REPower EU.
Deputy Kerrane has repeatedly requested that the BAR be utilised to provide much-needed supports to farmers, such as those in the sheep and tillage sectors.
The Sinn Féin TD recognised that both of these sectors saw some measures included in last week’s Budget, and welcomed this.
But she said that given the real crisis these sectors are in, ‘it is incomprehensible’ that this money would not be spent to support them.
“The reality is that the €8 increase announced for the Sheep Improvement Scheme and €8m for tillage farmers won’t come close to addressing the crises these sectors have faced this year.
“Time is running out to make use of BAR funding. That is €150 million that could be used to provide supports and yet we are looking at a situation where this money will be returned to the EU at the end of this year unspent.”
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