Online clinic for Sligo and Leitrim farmers applying for BPS- McLoughlin
A SUPPORT clinic will be held locally in order to help Sligo and Leitrim farmers with their online applications for the Basic Payment Scheme, Fine Gael TD For Sligo – Leitrim, Tony McLoughlin said.
Further to existing supports available, such as telephone help-lines, how-to guides and instructional videos, staff from the Department of Agriculture will now be available to meet with farmers on a one-toone basis in order to assist them in making their applications.
Deputy McLoughlin said: “An online clinic will be held at the Raddison Blu Hotel, Sligo on Tuesday 10 April 2018 between 9.00 AM and 12.30 PM in order to help local farmers with their online applications for the BPS.
“These clinics have proven to be successful in the past and farmers can sit down with an official from the Department and make their online BPS or Transfer of Entitlements applications on the spot.
“Online applications offer a range of benefits for farmers and also help the Department to issue these vital payments more efficiently.
“The recent growth in the number of online BPS applications shows more and more farmers are finding that the best way to apply for vital schemes such as BPS and ANC is online.
“Almost 20,000 farmers have already made their online applications this year, compared to a total of 3,500 applications received at this stage last year.
“From 2018 all the elements of the Direct Payments Schemes (BPS, Greening, Young Farmers Scheme, National Reserve, and Transferring of Entitlements) will be online. This will help to ensure that the Department can process all applications under these schemes as efficiently as possible.”
Should farmers wish to contact the Department in relation to their online application they can do so at:
076 1064424 in relation to queries on registering for www.agfood.ie – for example queries on lost passwords, how to register etc., or
076 1064420 in relation to queries on actually completing the BPS application once registered on www.agfood.ie or to enquire about the one-to-one clinics.