187 farmers still waiting for vital GLAS payments

FIANNA Fáil TD for Kerry, John Brassil has slammed the Agriculture Minister for failing to meet his commitment to farmers to have GLAS payments made by the end of April.

187 farmers in Kerry are still waiting on their 2016 GLAS payments despite the Minister’s previous commitment to have payments made by April 30th.

“This situation has gone beyond a joke and Minister Creed must start taking responsibility for his complete failure to champion small farmers here in Kerry and right across the country. Nationally there are more than 3,000 farmers still waiting on their GLAS payment, with 187 in Kerry waiting.

“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. More than four months later and these farmers are still waiting. The Minister’s attitude could be described as disinterested but it is much more serious than that.

“The latest information that I have received from Minister Creed reveals that 187 GLAS 1 and 2 farmers in Kerry are still waiting on 85% of their 2016 payment. This is despite a recent Farmers Charter of Rights meeting, where Minister Creed’s Department committed that all outstanding payments would be made by the end of April. The length of these delays is almost unheard of and they are having a detrimental impact on small family farms.”