Over 200 Donegal farmers are yet to receive their 2016 Green Low-Carbon Agri-Environment Scheme(GLAS) payments.
Fianna Fáil TD and Spokesperson on Agriculture Charlie McConalogue criticized the Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed for failing to meet his commitment to farmers to have GLAS payments made by the end of April. Nationally more than 3,000 farmers are still waiting on their GLAS payment with 208 waiting in Donegal alone.
“These are farmers that are now in serious trouble. Many had made plans and took out loans to carry out works based on the fact that they would be receiving their GLAS payments by the end of 2016″ said McConalogue. “The Minister’s attitude could be described as disinterested but it’s much more serious than that.”
The GLAS programme, is co-funded by the EU and first began in Februrary 2015. The scheme works with rural farmers on the preservation of various habitats and species, mitigating climate change and on improving water quality offering incentives for the renovations.
““The length of these delays is almost unheard of and they are having a detrimental impact on small family farms across Donegal” said McConalogue. “The lack of action is threatening the future of some farms, and the fact that these issues are beyond the control of the farmers themselves is deeply unfair.”
“I will be raising these issues directly with the Minister in the Dáil to get answers about these shameful delays,” finished McConalogue.
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