New reserve deadline announced

Agriculture and Food Minister Mary Coughlan has announced a new closing date for farmers to make an application to the 2005 National Reserve.

She said there were 300 late applications from farmers seeking to have their Single Payment entitlements topped-up, after the Friday, January 21 closing date, by which time more than 15,000 applications were received in the Department.

The new closing date is tomorrow, Friday, February 18, 2005.