Criticisms of direct farm payments schedule ‘ill-informed, inaccurate’

CRITICISMS of the schedule of direct farm payments to more than 110,000 farmers is “ill-informed and inaccurate”, says the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Brendan Smith.

The minister said that Ireland is one of the first member states to release single payment funding, and compares favourably with any other EU member state in processing applications. Any attempt to circumvent the new digitised mapping process could lead to Ireland having to pay severe fines.

Mr Smith said: “It is essential that my department’s land parcel identification system (LPIS), which records details of all land declared under all the area-based schemes, is fully accurate, given that LPIS underpins total expenditure under these schemes of more than €1.8 billion annually.

“The system must take account of changes to areas submitted by farmers. Any failings in LPIS would leave my department open to the risk of significant EU fines. Such a risk cannot be countenanced and I will not compromise the value of direct payments to Irish farmers.”

More than €500m has been paid to in excess of 110,000 farmers in advance SPS payments. About 90% of all applicants have received an advance payment, which the minister described as a “significant achievement”.

Mr Smith said his pleas to the European Commission had led to advance SPS payments being made six weeks earlier than intended.

“This payment of over €500m at this time will improve the cash flow position and provide a very welcome boost to Irish farm families, particularly at this time of the year,” said Mr Smith.

Since the revised payments schedule began on September 22, over €671m has been paid out.

“I am confident that, by year-end, the total value of payments which will have issued to farmers under these schemes will be on target,” he said.