The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has confirmed that it experienced some issues with access to IT systems, including the Basic Income Support for Sustainability Scheme (BISS), yesterday afternoon (May 14).

A DAFM spokesperson told Agriland that users were unable to access the system for "a very short period of time", believed to be approximately 15 minutes.

The spokesperson said: "Once access was restored, the system did run slowly for a period of time for some customers, but farmers and advisors were able to submit forms.

Today (Thursday, May 15) is the final day to apply for the BISS scheme, and the department said there are no plans to extend the deadline.

It said: "As of 10:30 am (Thursday, May 15) 120,769 applications have been received, which is approximately 97% of expected applications."

Applications for the BISS seem to be following the same trend that is usually seen with BISS applications, with weekly application figures increasing notably as the deadline approaches.

BISS opened for applications on February 11. By April 23, the application figure was just shy of 64,000.

Over the next two weeks to Wednesday of last week, some 30,000 more applications had been made, and in the last week alone, around 25,000 further applications have been made.

Last year, 124,274 BISS and other area-based scheme applications were submitted to the department from across the country by the deadline.

It is expected that applications will continue to be received by the department throughout today right up to the deadline.

The BISS deadline is also the deadline for the related submission of applications for other schemes including the Complementary Income Support for Young Farmers (CISYF), eco-scheme, Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) scheme, and transfers of entitlements.

Farmers who are seeking support with their applications can contact the department’s Direct Payments Helpdesk on 057-8674422.