Concerns over single farm payment

Macra na Feirme yesterday expressed concern over the delay in informing new entrants of their entitlements under the single farm payment.

President Thomas Honner said Macra had been contacted by a number of young farmers who had applied under the new entrant scheme and were concerned they were being left in the dark about entitlements for 2005.

“While I fully accept that the department is under pressure with the huge number of issues still to be resolved under the new regime, many new entrants to farming who have applied for favourable averaging or to inherit entitlements have not yet received any indication as to what the outcome of their applications will be,” he said.