Hundreds of Mayo farmers still await GLAS/AEOS payments

ICSA Mayo chairman Cathal O’Reilly has described the continued delays in payment of GLAS and AEOS to Mayo farmers as a ‘fiasco’.

The ICSA recently protested about payment delays outside the Department of Agriculture offices in Johnstown Castle, Co. Wexford, which is the centre for administering agri-environment schemes.

Said Mr. O'Reilly: “ICSA also met with senior department officials to complain about the way farmers were being treated and demanding that every available resource be used to get the backlog cleared.

“Mayo farmers have been particularly impacted according to official figures and ICSA is fighting for fair play for them.”

Figures released by the Department of Agriculture reveal that 910 farmers in the county are still awaiting payment for GLAS while a further 478 are waiting on their AEOS payment.

Said Mr. O’Reilly: “The figures make for frustrating reading. The 910 Mayo farmers waiting for GLAS payments represent one quarter of those who participated in the scheme around the county while with AEOS it’s one third still waiting. These are not small percentages and they represent a massive failing of the system.

“Blaming IT problems for the protracted delays is simply not a satisfactory excuse from a department who had two years to ensure the rollout of payments would run smoothly. They should have got it right.”

Nationally, 7,560 farmers are still awaiting a GLAS or AEOS payment. Of these 750 received their GLAS payment last week, according to department figures. However, Mr. O’Reilly said, at this rate it will take 10 weeks to clear the backlog.