Delivery of €476m in single farm payments by state ‘a good start’

THE IFA has described as a good start yesterday’s move by the state to deliver €476 million in single farm payments to 100,000 farmers.

IFA president John Bryan said he hoped the remaining 20,000 farmers would now be cleared and paid without undue delay, citing December 1 as the deadline by which farmers should receive any outstanding Disadvantaged Area payments.

Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney said these payments were being issued six weeks ahead of the date laid down in EU regulations, directly as a result of the case he made to the EU commissioner.