Farmers urge extension to complete environmental work for EU scheme

THE Government was warned yesterday that the €1.5 billion farm construction industry will be brought to an abrupt halt unless flexibility is given to 20,000 farmers to complete environmental work under the waste management scheme.

Farmers participating in the scheme have until December 31 to complete the works, which are required to meet new European Union environmental regulations, but they claim they need an extension due to wet weather and other issues which have caused delays.

The Irish Farmers Association (IFA), the Irish Farm Building Contractors Association and the Irish Concrete Federation warned yesterday that it will not be possible to complete all the work by the deadline.

Agriculture Minister Brendan Smith has repeatedly said there will be no extension to the deadline.

“All have been aware of this deadline since the launch of the scheme,” said a spokesperson for his department. “In addition, the department wrote to each farmer holding an approval, reminding him/her of the critical importance of completing approved works within this deadline.

However, IFA president Pádraig Walshe said the year-end deadline is unreasonable. “Farmers are investing over €1.5bn this year in improving their facilities. This investment is generating a huge economic impact in rural areas.

“With an added value of over €1bn, the spin-off effect in terms of jobs related to suppliers and services is around 20,000 for the year,” he said.

Irish Farm Building Contractors Association chairman Bill McEvoy said farm building contractors were working to the best of their ability to meet the deadline.

But they would be unable to complete all work approved by December 31 due to delays as a result of the poor weather and the volume of work outstanding.

Gerry Farrell, chief executive of the Irish Concrete Federation, said it would be a major blow to the concrete manufacturing sector if the scheme ended in December.