I thank you most sincerely, a Cheann Comhairle for allowing me to raise this important matter on the Adjournment.
The Minister is well aware that hundreds, if not thousands, of farmers in Cork south west and other disadvantaged areas, are very annoyed at the haphazard way the Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry is dealing with the payment of the cattle headage, suckler cow and sheep headage grants this year. Despite modern technology, computerisation, etc., this year farmers have received only a token payment of the cattle headage, a suckler cow and sheep headage payments they received in previous years. Nonsensical statements in the letters accompanying the payments such as (a) "Grant Restriction", (b) "Insufficient fodder acreage"— even though maps were lodged with the Department six months ago indicating that they have ample fodder acreage — and (c) "Advance Payments without Prejudice" are mindboggling and misleading for farmers.
It is obvious that the Department is not competent to process the cattle headage, suckler cow and sheep headage payment application forms and is incapable of issuing the full payment to farmers. Alternatively, this may be an easy way out for the Department — it may be an excuse for withholding the full payments to cash starved small farmers.
The Minister should let common sense prevail in regard to this matter and use his influence, as master of his Department, to ensure that all outstanding cattle headage, sheep headage and suckler cow grants are paid immediately to farmers who, incidentally, are penalised to the tune of 10 per cent if they are in arrears with their income tax payments.
The Minister should say if his Department will compensate farmers by paying them 10 per cent extra on all overdue headage payments. Will the Minister state publicly why his Department cannot pay farmers the full rate of grant? The levels of payments made range from 60 per cent to as low as 20 per cent. Indeed in some cases no payment has been made.
Is it a fact that the money from Brussels for such payments is withheld by the Department of Finance in Dublin? Is the EC Commission aware of the present situation appertaining to headage payments in Ireland? Is it aware that only a token payment has been made on those schemes this year? The time has come for the Minister to come clean with regard to this problem which is causing such anxiety to Irish farmers.
This year the Minister or the Minister of State opened a new office of the Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry in Portlaoise to deal with all applications for beef premiums, both ten months and 22 month. Farmers throughout the country must now wait until the end of January or perhaps February for the return of their cards, which they submitted for punching to the Department with their respective application forms at the end of November. Why did the Minister not allow each county veterinary office deal with such beef scheme applications, as was the case in previous years when all the cards were punched and returned within a week? In fact, the cards were punched on presentation at the counter and returned to farmers immediately.
Farmers cannot travel to Portlaoise from Mizen Head, Dursey Head or Malin Head. They cannot get to Portlaoise to hand in their cards personally. Farmers cannot dispose of their bullocks until February or perhaps March and the majority of them will be forced to borrow money to purchase feeding stuffs to rear their animals throughout the winter months. It would be interesting to know if Government Ministers would wait several months for their salary cheques. It is already obvious that the Government has decided it can always leave the farmers without their money as they do not constitute any threat to the Government. Those on social welfare, civil servants and many others must get priority. If they do not get paid on time there is an outcry. Cows cannot be switched off like taps. Cattle must be sold at a specific time and crops must be harvested when ripe.
Surely in this season of peace and goodwill the Minister will see fit to ensure that all outstanding headage grants are paid to farmers before Christmas if at all possible.