Thousands have lost SFP or disadvantaged payments
The reduction in recipients averaged 2.26%, but varied significantly from county to county.
In Co Dublin, recipients reduced 5.9%, falling from 638 to 600, and the county’s total single farm payment fell by €626,500.
In contrast, three neighbouring counties saw the lowest reduction in single farm payment recipients.
They fell only 0.7% in Co Wicklow, 1% in Co Meath, and 1.6% in Co Kildare.
The single farm payment total paid out nationally has fallen from €1,242,450,774 in 2010 to €1,166,299,466 in 2014.
The number of farmers receiving payments in the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme has fallen 6.4%, from 100,696 getting €222,525,618 in 2010, to 94,229 getting €198,077,899 in 2014. Above average cuts in recipients occurred in Wexford, down 13%, from 1,415 getting €2,794,800, to 1,269 getting €2,203,910.
In Co Kildare, the cut in recipients was 10.2%, from 520 getting €999,576 to 467 getting €777,003. In Co Louth, the cut in recipients was nearly 10%, from 749 getting €1,297,652, to 675 getting €1,095,196. In Co Waterford, 9% fewer recipients got disadvantaged payments in 2014 compared to 2010, falling from 1,426 getting €3,221,378 to 1,297 getting €2,532,304. But Co Dublin fared better than average, with the number of recipients falling only 5.6%, from 124 getting €281,434 to 117 getting €248,399.
The statistics on the payments were given by Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney in reply to a Dáil question from Fianna Fáil agriculture spokesman Éamon Ó Cuív, TD for Galway West.
