ICSA president Sean McNamara has described the way the Department of Agriculture has handled ACRES payments as a shambles and said it must never happen again. “Back in early December we were informed that around 18,600 farmers would have to wait until February 2024 for their ACRES payments. Now it appears there will be a further delay. The whole thing is a shambles,” he said.
Continuing Mr McNamara said he welcomed news that an interim, nationally-funded, payment will be made to ACRES participants the end of February, but said the Department still have questions to answer. “I am pleased that the Minister was listening at our AGM last week when we demanded action on these late payments. It begs the question, however, about why this could not have been arranged before Christmas when it was evident there was a problem.”
“We have also been repeatedly told that innovative solutions were not possible when it came to resolving the ACRES issue, yet now we have one. Has the EU suddenly changed its rules or how has this been made possible? We also now need answers on when exactly the rest of the money will be paid.”
Mr McNamara said it is not good enough to leave so many farmers in the dark about important payments, particularly those in the low-income beef, suckler, and sheep sectors. “For most drystock farmers scheme payments are what keeps their enterprises ticking over. They rely hugely on this money to cover bills, loan repayments, and to pay for expensive winter feeding and all the other input costs. Not receiving a scheme payment when its due is not only hugely frustrating but causes untold financial repercussions. It is a debacle and it must never happen again.”
ENDS
