Call to reject ‘direct’ farm payments

PLANS to have all farm payments made directly to farmer’s bank accounts must be rejected by Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Minister Mary Coughlan, according to Labour Party spokesman Sean Sherlock, TD.

He said the department claims that to meet EU requirements, after next year, all scheme payments must issue to a bank account and can no longer be issued by cheque.

However, Mr Sherlock said the move goes against the basic right of farmers to avail of payment by cheque which is the preferred method of payment for many farmers.