Sheep Welfare Scheme balancing payments begin issuing
The successor scheme - the Sheep Improvement Scheme - is now in place, starting on February 1, 2023, with over 19,000 farmers participating.
Balancing payments under the Sheep Welfare Scheme have begun issuing this week.
The 15% balancing payments will be made to all eligible farmers under year six (2022) of the scheme.
The rollout of these balancing payments brings the total amount paid to over 17,500 farmers under the scheme for 2022 to €17.3m.
The 85% advance payment was issued to eligible farmers last November.
This is the final year of the scheme, which was introduced in December 2016.
"These final payments under the Sheep Welfare Scheme are an important support to farmers in the delivery of key welfare actions and provide a financial boost to the individual farmers and the wider rural economy," Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue said.
The successor scheme - the Sheep Improvement Scheme - is now in place, starting on February 1, 2023, with over 19,000 farmers participating.
The minister said he is urging any farmers with outstanding queries to respond to the department immediately to facilitate payment.
He also confirmed that the department will continue to issue payments on an ongoing basis as outstanding queries are resolved.
