I invite Deputy Martin Kenny to propose the motion.
GLAS Payments: Motion
I move:
That the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine notes:
- the financial strain under which many farmers are living at present;
- the difficulties faced over the past year with price volatility;
- the rising cost of fertiliser and other agricultural inputs;
- the high level of commitment by Irish farmers to environmental and greening measures;
- the fact that the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine underspent its budget in 2016;
- that 85% of GLAS payments are paid in the first tranche, with the remaining 15% withheld until the second tranche;
- the commitment from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine that all participants in the schemes would receive their first tranche payments before the end of 2016;
and calls on the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine
- to immediately ensure that the Department pays the first tranche of GLAS and AEOS moneys to all participants in the schemes;
- to ensure that the second tranche payments are timely and efficiently paid as promised in the second quarter of 2017;
- to ensure that farmers are given an explanation for the breach of the farmers' charter which has taken place in regard to these payments; and
- to ensure that measures are taken to ensure that such a delay will not occur again.
I invite Senator Tim Lombard to move the amendment to the motion.
I move amendment No. 1:
To delete all words after "That the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine notes:" and substitute:
- the financial strain under which many farmers are living at present;
- the difficulties faced over the past year with price volatility;
- the rising cost of fertiliser and other agricultural inputs;
- the high level of commitment by Irish farmers to environmental and greening measures;
- the fact that the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine underspent its budget in 2016;
- that 85% of GLAS payments are paid in the first tranche, with the remaining 15% withheld until the inspection and validation process is complete;
- that GLAS payments are paid in two stages, an 85% advance payment being made when administrative checks are carried out, with the remaining 15% balancing payment withheld until the inspection and validation process is complete;
- the commitment from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine that all participants in the schemes would receive their first tranche payments before the end of 2016;
- the payment of €110 million under GLAS to date, with payments continuing on a weekly basis;
- that all eligible applicants under the third tranche of GLAS will be accepted into the scheme, bringing overall participation levels to 50,000 farmers;
and calls on the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine:
- to immediately ensure that the Department pays the first tranche of GLAS and AEOS moneys to all participants in the schemes;
- to ensure that the second tranche payments are timely and efficiently paid as promised in the second quarter of 2017;
- to ensure that farmers are given an explanation for the breach of the farmers' charter which has taken place in regard to these payments; and
- to ensure that measures are taken to ensure that such a delay will not occur again.
Amendment agreed to.
Motion, as amended, agreed to.
Acceptance of the motion, as amended, will be reported to both Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann. I propose that a copy of the agreed motion be forwarded to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Is that agreed? Agreed.
The joint committee went into private session at 4.25 p.m. and resumed in public session at 5.45 p.m.