Michael Healy-Rae
Question:1196. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the case of a person (details supplied) will be examined; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56528/23]
View answerWednesday, 17 January 2024
Questions (1196)
Written answers
As the Deputy will be aware, the Liming Programme was introduced by my Department in 2023 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.
In late October 2023 some quarries expressed concerns that they would not be able to process payments and provide 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 were accepted up until midnight on the 07 November 2023.
The Programme was supported as a once-off measure in 2023 that is funded by the National Exchequer in response to the war in Ukraine. There is no funding provision available for 2024. Therefore claims for payment including Invoices/Receipts with proof of payment had to be submitted by the 07 November. The majority of payments under the Programme issued in December with only some final payments remaining to issue at this stage.
The claims I.T. system closed in November and to be fair to all farmers it is not possible to process late claims.