Minister confirms no extension to Farm Scheme December deadline

AGRICULTURE Minister Brendan Smith has repeated that there will not be an extension to the December 31 deadline for the completion of works under the Farm Waste Management Scheme.

Farm leaders and politicians are campaigning to have the deadline extended for a variety of reasons, including the delaying impact of the weather on construction works currently taking place on farms, in order to comply with strict new European Union environmental requirements.

Mr Smith, speaking with reporters in Dublin earlier this week, said the scheme has been extremely successful to date, with his Department having paid out €288 million in grants.