Disadvantaged areas payments issuing

There’s good news for Clare farmers this week, as payments under the 2014 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme have started issuing on schedule.

“I am particularly pleased to see that these payments, worth some €149 million, are issuing on target, particularly given the significance of Direct Aid payments to individual farmers and the wider rural community,” the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney said in making the announcement.

The minister confirmed that payments will continue to issue as individual cases are confirmed eligible for payment.

“I expect in the region of 71,500 eligible farmers will receive their payments in the coming days, although it will in reality take at least one week to issue such a large volume of payments. However, there are a significant number who currently appear ineligible under the stocking provisions; these farmers can submit appropriate evidence to my department’s Portlaoise office, following which their payments will then be released.”

Minister Coveney noted that the value of payments issuing in the first tranche is significantly up on the equivalent 2013 figure, when €122 million issued. In addition, the number of farmers being paid is up from 58,000 to 71,500.

“These figures underscore my determination to maximise payments to farmers at the earliest possible time,” he said.

Minister Coveney said that payments under the scheme would continue to issue, as individual cases continue to be cleared, adding “I can also confirm that arrangements are well advanced and on target to allow payment of the 50% Advance of the Single Payment, with effect from October 16, again mindful of the need to assist farmers’ cash flows”.