Hill farmers call for action on top-ups

IFA Hill Farming Committee chairman Neilie O’Leary has criticised the delay in finalising 2005 SFP top-ups and the hill-farming national reserve allocation.

Mr O’Leary said that 4,500 commonage farmers who were destocked can choose 1997/1998 as their reference period for SFP purposes. They were promised a top-up payment totalling about €4m, would be paid out some months ago.

Mr O’Leary said if late payments are not sorted out immediately, farmers will be owed top-up payments for two years.