Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 May 2024
250. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if consideration can be given to providing farmers under financial pressure advance payments of direct farm payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21029/24]
View answerPayments to farmers under the wide range of schemes operated by my department are of critical importance to ensuring the on-going viability of Irish farms.
The payment dates for decoupled Direct Payments, which include the Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS), the Complementary Redistributive Income Support for Sustainability (CRISS), the Complementary Income Support for Young Farmers (CISYF) and ECO schemes, along with the decoupled Protein Aid are set out in Regulation.
A total of €1.135 billion has been paid out under these schemes in 2023.
The earliest date that payments can commence is December 1st, but an allowance does exist to pay an advance payment earlier . However, this advance cannot be made before October 16th.
As set out in the terms and conditions for BISS and other 2024 Area Based Schemes, advance payments will commence in Ireland on the earliest possible date, which is October 16th for the main Direct Payment schemes.
Outside of the Direct Payment schemes there is the capacity to pay earlier and therefore the Areas of Natural Constraint (ANC) in 2024 will be paid on September 18th to ensure money flows as soon as practically possible to farmers.
