Fine Gael wants waste management scheme payments to be fast-tracked
Mr Hayes made the call after being given official figures showing that the number of South Tipperary farmers receiving farm assist payments has almost doubled since 2008.
“According to the figures released to me by the Minister for Agriculture, there were 86 farmers receiving farm assist payments in 2008.
“That figure now stands at 148, which is an increase of 91% of farmers who are now dependent on a social welfare payment,” he said.
Mr Hayes said recent reports from Teagasc show that farm incomes fell by 30% last year, compared with an average 11% fall in the European Union.
“Farmers are struggling on a day-to-day basis and the Government is not acting,” he said, noting that payments due to farmers in South Tipperary for the Farm Waste Management Scheme total €4 million.
He said the Government has scheduled this final payment for January 2011, which is a purely arbitrary date, because the farmers have already paid out this money.
“Some farmers got credit from the bank to pay for the works under this scheme, and are now seriously under pressure,” he said.
Mr Hayes said the Government should fast-track the Farm Waste Management Scheme payments, which is already administered with the applications approved and even paid in part.
“The remaining payments of €112m nationally and €4m for South Tipperary farmers specifically would make cash-flow much easier for farmers to manage,” he said.
Mr Hayes said other proposals by Fine Gael include curtailing unfair trading practices, action on food labelling issues and increasing competitiveness by cutting business input costs.
The agricultural and food production sector have huge potential to help the economy recovery from this recession.
“But the Government are happy to sit by and watch the drastic numbers of farmers forced to apply for Farm Assist programme, while holding on to money that farmers are entitled to,” Mr Hayes said.
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