Early rollout of DES funds ‘would give farmers timely income boost’

Frontloading even €2m of the funds available under the Dairy Equipment Scheme would give rural communities a lift, ICMSA deputy president Pat McCormack has argued.

The ICMSA estimates an early rollout of DES funds could generate business worth more than €50m to the wider rural economy.

Many of the 800 applicants were excluded from the €4.425m available in the first quarterly tranche of funding, which closed on January 31.