Under the single payment scheme, farmers who commenced farming during the reference years 2000, 2001 or 2002, may apply to have their single payment based on the year or years they were farming during the reference period. Application forms to apply for this facility have been available for some months and may be obtained from The Single Payment Section, Department of Agriculture and Food, Old Abbeyleix Road, Port Laoise, County Laois, telephone locall 1890 200113 or from any local office of the Department.
Farmers who commenced farming after the reference period, that is, after 31 December 2002, or farmers who commenced in 2002 but received no direct payments in that year, may apply to the national reserve for entitlements. Objective criteria as regards age, income and farming qualifications will apply to those applicants.
Application forms for the national reserve will be available shortly from the Single Payment Section, Department of Agriculture and Food, Michael Davitt House, Castlebar, County Mayo, telephone locall 1890 200507, or from any local office of the Department.