Single Payment scheme more sinned against than sinning
But only time will tell if the system of allocation adopted by our Department of Agriculture, under which they qualify fair and square, was the right system to choose.
It has already thrown up huge inequities, led to financial hardship for some, caused resentment between neighbouring farmers, and widened the gap between well to do and the less fortunate farmers.
The huge payouts to top earners have understandably aggrieved the thousands of landowners who have no entitlements, on about 20% of the land of Ireland - many of them through no fault of their own.
There were five options for each member state on how to distribute the Single Payment available to that state.
Of the 25 member states, at least 10 went for flat rate distribution from the start, nine retained some payments based on production, up to three more will phase in flat rate, and a small minority adopted historically based entitlements for the duration of the Single Payment - of which Ireland is one.
Praise or criticism for the outcome in Ireland should not be directed at the top earners, but towards ex-Minister for Agriculture Joe Walsh and his advisers in his Department and others who influenced the decision on which system would be adopted by Ireland.
The Minister received about 200 submissions in a public consultative process; independent research was commissioned from FAPRI Ireland; and the Minister said there was a overwhelming weight of opinion in favour of full decoupling among individual farmers whom he had met or who had attended information seminars held by his Department.
He said he based his final decision on what he saw as the best interests of Irish agriculture and the development of a sustainable, market orientated agri-food sector.
Nearly two years later, with the farming businesses attached to the AIBP and Kepak meat processing businesses emerging as the top recipients of Single Payment, respectively receiving annual Single Payments of €508,390 and €346,118 per annum, the debate over which system is likely to open up again, but it’s too late to go back.
