The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue has today (Monday, March 28) announced the schedule of in-person Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) clinics to help farmers in making their applications online.
Minister McConalogue stated: “During the Covid-19 restrictions, my department was unable to run the clinics in 2020 and 2021.
“With the lifting of many of the Covid-19 restrictions, I am delighted to announce a return of these in-person clinics around the country where farmers can meet one-to-one with a department official and make their BPS application there and then.
“These clinics proved very popular with farmers in previous years and I am happy to announce the return of this service again this year,” the minister added.
According to the minister, some 24,000 farmers have already lodged their applications since the online facility opened in February 2022.
“I would urge all farmers to submit their BPS application at the earliest possible opportunity before the May 16, 2022 deadline,” McConalogue added.
“If farmers have already submitted their BPS application for this year and they now want to take on additional land or change the crop type, they can log back in to agfood.ie to make any amendments, but they must make sure they do so before the deadline of May 16, 2022.”
Location Venue Date Castlebar, Co. Mayo Ellison (previously Harlequin) Hotel April 4 Tuam, Co. Galway Ard Rí Hotel, Milltown Road, Tuam April 5 Arklow, Co. Wicklow Arklow Bay Hotel, Sea Road, Ferrybank April 6 New Ross, Co. Wexford Brandon House Hotel April 7 Roscommon Hannon’s Hotel, Athlone Road, Acres April 11 Ballina, Co. Mayo Great National Hotel Ballina, Dublin Road April 12 Limerick Maldron Hotel, Roxboro April 13 Mitchelstown, Co. Cork Firgrove Hotel April 14 Monaghan Four Seasons Hotel, Collshannagh, Monaghan April 25 Ballybofey, Co. Donegal Jackson’s Hotel, Main Street April 26 Birr, Co. Offaly County Arms Hotel April 27 Ennis, Co. Clare Treacy’s West County Hotel, Limerick Road April 28 Ballinasloe, Co. Galway Shearwater Hotel, Marina Point May 3 Macroom, Co. Cork Castle Hotel, Main Street, Sleveen East May 4 Tralee, Co. Kerry Brandon Hotel, Princes St. May 5 Mullingar, Co. Westmeath Mullingar Park Hotel, Dublin Road May 6 Drumshanbo, Co. Leitrim DAFM office May 9 Cavan DAFM office, Farnham Street, Cavan May 10 Maam Cross, Co. Galway Peacockes Hotel May 11 Oranmore, Co. Galway Oranmore Lodge Hotel, Carrowmoneash May 12
All clinics will take place from 9:30a.m to 3:00p.m.
BPS and other schemes
Farmers can apply for all elements of direct payments (BPS; Greening; Young Farmers’ Scheme; Protein Aid; National Reserve; transferring of entitlements), online.
Applications can only be made using the online system. This is an EU requirement.
Farmers are reminded to check that they have correctly applied for the Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme (ANC), if applicable.
Annual payment claims for the Straw Incorporation Measure, Green Low-Carbon Agri-Environment Scheme (GLAS) and the Organic Farming Scheme (OFS) can also be made online.
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) office in Portlaoise, Co. Laois also has a team on hand to help farmers who wish to call in on weekdays from now until the BPS applications closing date of Monday, May 16, 2022.