BISS and CRISS payments to be issued this week, minister confirms

Despite farmers being told to expect a nine day delay on BISS and CRISS payments due to strikes, minister Heydon has been confirmed that these payments will be issued this week.

BISS and CRISS payments will be issued before this weekend, minister Heydon confirms.

Following the news of an expected  nine-day delay to BISS and CRISS payments, it has now been announced that farmers will receive their payments over the coming days.

The BISS (Basic Income Support for Sustainability) and CRISS (Complementary Redistributive Income Support for Sustainability) payments that were said to be worth approximately €600m in farm support payments were due to be paid last week but delayed until October 27 due to industrial action across the public sector.

In an announcement, minister for Agriculture, Martin Heydon, said farmers can now expect to receive payments ahead of this weekend, Saturday, October 24.

"I have been working intensively to find a solution to the delays in BISS and CRISS payments, and I can now confirm that payments will be issued before the weekend.” 

Continuing, the minister said: “I want to acknowledge the co-operation of the Unions involved in recognising the importance of these payments to farmers throughout the country.” 

The department has said that any further details on the matter will be announced once they are made available.

Speaking of the importance of the payments, the Minister concluded by saying: "I understand the critical value of these payments to farmers and rural Ireland more broadly, and I am glad the payments can now be issued at the higher rate of 75% in line with the Eco-scheme payment last Friday, which saw €203m issued to almost 107,000 farmers."