Backlog of 3,800 remains in GLAS scheme

WITH only 300 farmers being cleared for GLAS payments every week, it could take another three months to clear the backlog, a leading IFA official has warned this week.

According to IFA Rural Development Chairman, Joe Brady, by last weekend there were still 3,800 farmers across the country still awaiting their first tranche, 85% GLAS payout – several hundred of those are understood to be in Galway.

Mr. Brady added that since the start of the year, 5,000 farmers had received the 85% GLAS payment, on top of the 28,000 farmers who were paid before the end of 2016.

“This means, that on average, a little over 300 farmers have been paid per week and at this rate of payment it will be another three months before all cases are sorted out.

“This is just not acceptable and Minister Creed needs to step up to the mark to sort out this debacle and to tell farmers when they will be paid,” Joe Brady said.

In addition to the 3,800 farmers who are still due their 85% first payment, there are a further 33,000 who are still owed the final 15% of their GLAS money.

Galway IFA Chairman, Pat Murphy, said it was simply ‘intolerable’ that with Summer just around the corner, thousands of farmers from all parts of the country still hadn’t received their GLAS payments.

“We don’t know what the reason for the hold-up is . . . the Minister doesn’t seem to know either . . . but caught in the middle are nearly 4,000 farmers still waiting for their money. With the Basic Payment deadline of May 15 now just over two weeks away, the very least we are asking for, is that all the GLAS money be paid out before then. This is just unacceptable,” said Pat Murphy.

Administrative problems have been blamed for the hold-up in the GLAS payments over the past four months but despite various meetings with Minister Creed and Dept. officials, the logjam shows no sign of being cleared.

“Farmer frustration is at boiling point, and Minister Creed must show his commitment to farmers in GLAS by making all outstanding payments without any further delay,” said Joe Brady.