Aughty farmers look for cash back

SLIEVE Aughty commonage farmers – who met earlier this month to review issues relating to land eligibility – are hoping that the Dept. has at last ‘seen sense’ in the controversy that threatened the future viability of over 50 local farmers.

Up until last April, the farmers seemed set to have their DAS (Disadvantage Areas Scheme) payments slashed, following a wave of inspections carried out on the Slieve Aughty commonages by Dept. inspectors.

However the issue came to a dramatic conclusion last April on the steps of the High Court after local farmers sought to challenge the land eligibility decisions made by the Dept.

At the last minute, the Dept. of Agriculture ‘withdrew’ from the court case and also withdrew their inspection findings – farmers, who had been waiting for their 2014 payments, were then paid out in full.

Cllr. Gerry Finnerty, PRO for the local farmers affected, said that they were seeking to have their costs reimbursed for having to take such legal action – the figure involved is understood to be in the region of €50,000.

“This is something that these farmers should never have had to do. There was never any basis for some farmers having their eligible land cut by around 80% to 90% – we are now hoping that any alterations for the coming year will only be very minor in nature,” said Cllr. Finnerty.

A local action group made up of INHFA (Irish Natura and Hill Farmers’ Association) members was established at a meeting held in Kilbeacanty earlier this month with Enda Tannian the chairman; Noel S. Fahey, secretary; Michael Cunningham, treasurer and Cllr. Gerry Finnerty PRO.

“Farmers in this area, going back the generations, have been the custodians of the Slieve Aughties and the local environment but they are facing ongoing restrictions as to how they can farm.

“For example, farmers who need to fence off sections of land have found that they are greatly restricted in what they can do due to conservational and environmental requirements. We don’t want any farmer punished for something that’s completely outside their control,” said Cllr. Finnerty.

He said that while local farmers in the Castledaly-Roxborough and Derrybrien commonages were reasonably satisfied that there wouldn’t be a repeat of last year’s attempted cuts on eligible land, they still had to ‘keep their eye on the ball’ over the coming months.