‘More staff needed to process grants’

THE Department of Agriculture must allocate extra staff to ensure all farm waste management grant applications are processed within their deadlines, according to the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association.

ICMSA Farm Services and Environment Committee chairman Conor Creedon said the department agreed under the Charter of Rights for Farmers to issue approval within 10 weeks of an application’s submission and to issue payment within 14 weeks of the receipt of a claim.

These time frames must be met and farmers must not suffer delays due to high demand, he said.