Farmers left waiting for Glas cheque

As farmers, it often feels that we have to fight for everything that other people take for granted, writes ICSA rural development chairman Seamus Sherlock.

“Glas has lost its shine” was the mantra at ICSA’s protest last week at the lengthy delays in paying farmers what they are owed from the Glas scheme. The situation had become intolerable as over 10,000 farmers were still not paid, out of a total 37,500 applicants. In addition the older environmental scheme AEOS which is nearing its endpoint, has also seen delays with some 2,000 farmers not paid.

The background to the issue is that Glas is the showcase scheme of the national Rural Development Plan 2014-2020. It is the principle environmental and climate change scheme and it was launched in early 2015 with promises that 50,000 farmers who went the extra mile in implementing additional environmental management practices would participate.