Over 3,300 farmers across Roscommon and East Galway are to receive €12m in advance payments under the Green Low-Carbon Agri Environment Scheme (GLAS) this week. This will be a “vital financial boost during what has been a difficult year for the whole community” local TD Denis Naughten has said.
“The payment, at a rate of 85% of the full annual amount, will be paid out to over three quarters of the local farmers participating under the GLAS scheme and I hope that the outstanding payments to approximately 500 more local farmers will be issued without delay,” added Denis Naughten.
“It is also important to point out that for 2,500 local farmers this is their last payment under the current GLAS programme. It is vital that this scheme is rolled over in 2021 without any risk that penalties that might be applied next year would be applied to the full term of the existing five-year contract
“Clarity must also be provided for farmers finishing their current five-year contract who had included leased land where that lease is now expiring.
“Provision must also be made for up to 900 local farmers who have been frozen out of agri-environment schemes since AEOS ended or have Natura lands but are not in a GLAS scheme.”
To facilitate the 500 local farmers who will not receive a GLAS payment this week the Department has extended hours of operation of its GLAS Helpline from Monday to Friday and on the morning of Saturday 7 November and Saturday 14 November up to 1.30pm.
The GLAS Helpdesk can be contacted at 076 1064451 and farmers can also submit any queries they may have by email to GLAS@agriculture.gov.ie
The Minister for Agriculture has told me that regular pay runs will be in place over the coming weeks to issue payments as GLAS cases are cleared for payment.
“Any GLAS participants with outstanding documentation including LESS or Rare Breed Forms, or those who have been contacted by the Department with queries in relation to their GLAS participation or BPS application, should respond as soon as possible in order to facilitate the early issue of payments,” concluded Denis Naughten.
ENDS.