Bulk of crop compo cash still unpaid

LESS than half of farmers who have applied to the Crop Loss Compensation Scheme have received funding, with just €337,000 issued to 75 farmers to date, writes Claire Fox.

Cork had the largest number of applicants at 86 with 32 paid and one withdrawn.

There were 25 applications in Donegal with 11 paid and 23 in Galway with 12 paid.

The remaining applications were split between 10 different counties.

The scheme was launched last July to assist growers hit by the wet weather during the 2016 harvest.

The Department of Agriculture stated that all applicants had been contacted and it was waiting for further information or clarification in several cases.

It stated the cases would continue to be examined as it received more information.

Flexible

Fianna Fail’s agriculture spokesman Charlie McConalogue said the data he received shows Department needs to be “more flexible in issuing payments” and raised concern about less than half of applicants being paid under the scheme.

“The Department needs to be more flexible in issuing payments with borderline cases as this was two harvests ago,” he said.

While €1.5m was allocated under the scheme, Mr McConalogue added that “the fact only €337,000 has been paid out under the scheme reflects how so few people have been paid so far”.

Meanwhile, Mr McConalogue added that Fianna Fail will be tabling a motion in the Dail tomorrow looking for direct supports for suckler farmers.