‘It is outrageous to think farmers are left waiting again’ - Michael Healy-Rae on GLAS Payment delays
I HAVE been inundated with phone calls since before Christmas and now again over the last few days from farmers who are waiting for their GLAS Payments. Only a number of months ago we had a case where farmers were still waiting for their 2015 & 2016 GLAS payments and here we are again with the same story, IT issues. It is outrageous to think farmers are left waiting again over IT issues.
Farmers are ringing me who are in a very bad way for money and the pressure is on them from the co-ops and contractors to clear their bills and then to keep the family home running, it simply is not acceptable for the Department to allow these delays to happen, the IT issue answer is rubbish, how is it that they have again encountered the same problem. I have called on the Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed to give clear answers as to what the problem is and when can these farmers expect payment.
These farmers have already spent a lot of money when signing up to GLAS to ensure everything was up the scratch and to be kept waiting like this for a second time in a row is simply outrageous and unacceptable.