Almost €54 million has been paid out to Galway farmers under advance payments of the 2018 Basic Payments Scheme, it has been confirmed.
Advance payments under the BPS, worth €53,682,168 to 10,991 farmers, commenced issuing earlier this week.
Galway East’s Minister Ciaran Cannon said that these payments are a vital support for farmers and are particularly welcome in light of the adverse weather conditions experienced on Galway farms this year.
Minister Cannon said: “It is a key priority for Fine Gael to get these payments out to the greatest number of farmers possible at the earliest date allowed under EU legislation, subject to the necessary requirements of the Schemes being met.
“With this in mind, my colleague the Minister for Agriculture secured EU Commission agreement for a higher advance payment of 70% for 2018 rather than 50% as provided for in the EU legislation.
“Some 93% of eligible applicants for the BPS have now been paid in this first tranche, and the success of our move to full online applications this year has helped us to deliver further efficiencies in the processing of payments which are of direct benefit to farmers.
“Payments under the 2018 Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme (ANC) also continue to issue as cases are cleared for payment.”
Minister Cannon assured farmers that payments will continue to issue under both schemes as individual cases are cleared, and regular pay runs will be in place over the coming weeks to ensure this.
“Farmers who have been contacted by the Department with queries in relation to their applications should also respond at their earliest convenience in order to facilitate payment,” he added.
