Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 November 2023
900. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will extend the 31 October 2023 deadline for the receipt of claims for aid for the National Liming Programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47721/23]
View answerThe Liming Programme was introduced by my Department earlier this year to incentivise the use of Lime, a natural soil conditioner which corrects soil acidity, makes nutrients more available for plant uptake, and improves overall soil health.
As the Deputy will be aware, on the 06th of October I announced important flexibility to the lime spreading deadline under the Programme. This was in response to the exceptionally wet weather over recent months which has impacted ground conditions and limited farmer's opportunities to spread lime. Under this flexibility, applicants now have until the 31st of March 2024 to spread their approved quantity of lime.
In late October some quarries expressed concerns that they would not be able to process payments and produce invoices for all farmers seeking to forward buy ground limestone before the Liming Programme's original claim deadline of the 31st of October. In response, I granted a one-week extension to the deadline for the submission of claims. Claims for payment will now be accepted up until midnight tonight, the 07th of November 2023.
