The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) and farming organisations have reached an agreement on a new Farmers’ Charter.
The charter, to be published in the coming days, sets out the timelines for applications, payments, inspections and appeals.
The agreement cannot grant rights which would affect or change the operation of EU or national law in so far as they apply to the schemes administered by the department.
The department said that the new charter will come into effect immediately on publication.
Farmers’ Charter
The Irish Farmers Association (IFA), the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA), Macra, Irish Cattle and Sheep Association (ICSA), Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA) and the Irish Co-operative Society (ICOS) participated in the negotiations on the new charter.
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue welcomed that an agreement had been reached.
There has been sharp criticism in delays to farm scheme payments under the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Strategic Plan.
Minister McConalogue said that 2023 was the first year of the new CAP and it “was a significant undertaking for all involved”.
“There was a lot of work for farmers, their advisors and my own department in administering new schemes in the first year.
“There were strong outcomes last year with a lot of good work done to ensure that a very high percentage of farmers were paid on the dates that were set out at the start of the year for scheme payments.
“Almost €1.8 billion was paid to farmers across the country during the last quarter of 2023,” he said.
The minister said that Ireland ranks amongst “the most efficient member states” in getting payments to farmers “expediently and in line with the legal requirements”.
However, he noted there has been “difficulties to overcome” in relations to the rollout of the new Agri Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES).
He said that the department is committed to ensuring these issues are “addressed for the second year of the scheme”.
“While there is an obligation on the department to make recoupments in the cases of any overpayment arising from interim payments at the first opportunity, I have asked my department to engage positively with any farmer that contacts them and show flexibility in cases of financial hardship.
“Further details of how farmers can contact the department to request this flexibility will be notified to farmers in the near future,” he said.
The minister added that he is “fully committed to leading the department” to ensure that scheme payments are made to farmers “on the dates set out in the charter and to the maximum number of farmers possible on the target dates”.
A Charter Monitoring Committee, including DAFM and farm organisations, will be now established to monitor agreed targets and standards.
Minister McConalogue has appointed Dr. Seán Brady as the independent chairperson of the committee. Dr. Brady presided over the monitoring committee of the previous charter.