Criticism as EU grants to farmers revealed

The Irish Farmers Association has criticised the Department of Agriculture’s publication of details outlining EU grants paid to farm-ers, describing the move as a breach of confidentiality.

Information on payments to 130,000 farmers under the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) was made available on the department’s website on Saturday.

The details have been published to meet the requirements of an EU regulation requiring transparency on the beneficiaries of EU-funded and co-funded schemes under the CAP.

Details on payments made in the financial years October 16, 2013, to October 15, 2014, and October 16, 2012, to October 15, 2013 have been made available.

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IFA president Eddie Downey said farmers are “extremely angry” at the publication of “their personal financial data”, and said that Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney must protect farmers’ rights and security.

The IFA said publication of payments raises security concerns for farmers, whose locations are available on the department website.

Mr Downey said any person wishing to access the information should be compelled to register their name, address, and contact details, and should be asked to set out the purpose of their request for the information.

He argued that the farmers whose CAP details are made available should also be advised as to who is checking their information.

According to Teagasc’s 2014 National Farm Survey, published last week, farm income is still highly reliant on subsidies. The average total subsidy payment was €18,859, accounting for 70% of income on average.

The Single Farm Payment, which is made under the CAP, was the largest component of subsidies at €13,849 on average last year.

John and Peter Queally, who received €245,883.17 under the Single Farm Payment last year, also received a €440,000 payment for “improving competitiveness of agriculture”, meaning that when all their payments are taken into account, they were the individuals with the highest payment in the CAP financial year, receiving grants totalling €686,958.77.

O’Shea Farms Ltd in Kilkenny was the company paid the most under the Single Farm Payment scheme, receiving €316,144.49 last year.

The department said information on payments to individual beneficiaries in the preceding CAP financial year will be published on or before May 31 and remain on the website for two years.

Highest paid

The top 10 payments made last year to individual farmers under the Single Farm Payment scheme were:

1. Walter Furlong, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford — €367,648.88;

2. John Baptist Doyle, Cashel, Co Tipperary — €309,610.92;

3. Thomas Morrin, Athy, Co Kildare — €300,013.13;

4. Patrick Reynolds, Navan, Co Meath — €260,805.52;

5. John and Peter Queally, Tramore, Co Waterford — €245,883.17;

6. Thomas Codd, Co Wexford — €245,358.32;

7. Cyril Goode, Arklow, Co Wicklow — €241,530.85;

8. Tom and Simon Browne, Cobh, Co Cork — €241,349.71;

9. Michael Smith, Navan, Co Meath — €225,664.38;

10. Frank and Threasa Joyce, Trim, Co Meath — €213,907.73;

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