Farmers' payments not at risk, says Minister

MINISTER for Agriculture Brendan Smith yesterday reassured farmers who are carrying out building work under a new environmental scheme that they will be paid.

Fine Gael had alleged that farmers who were building slurry tanks and other structures under the Farm Waste Management Scheme (FWMS) might not receive payments and could be hit by Government cutbacks.

However, the Minister said that more than €288 million had been paid under the revised FWMS, of which €174.5 million had been paid so far this year. He said the department continued to process payment claims in respect of approved work under the FWMS.

In a statement yesterday, the department said: "Notwithstanding the difficult budgetary situation the Minister assured farmers that payment will be made to all farmers who complete works in accordance with the terms and conditions of the scheme.

"The revised FWMS is a hugely successful scheme. It is probably the biggest-ever State-supported investment in farm infrastructure, particularly over such a limited period," it continued.

Fine Gael agriculture spokesman Michael Creed had called earlier this week for urgent clarification from the Government on the funding of the FWMS.

"Over 28,000 farmers have notified the department that they have started building works and they need to be assured that the funding for the FWMS is safe. I have heard alarming information to the effect that the funding for the scheme has all been drawn down already and no one will be paid between now and December," he said.

"Very significant investment has been made by farmers themselves in these important environmental improvements and they are to be commended for that," Mr Creed said.

The department has also been coming under increasing pressure from the farming lobby and the Opposition to extend the deadline for the completion of such work because of the delays in building caused by bad weather.

The Irish Farmers Association and the other farm bodies have sought an extension beyond December 31st next also on the basis that builders are not available to do the work.

Fine Gael parliamentary party chairman Tom Hayes said the issue affected both farmers and builders. "According to suppliers in my constituency, the early deadline is putting jobs are risk. Suppliers are having to refuse work from farmers under this grant scheme, because they cannot complete it by the end-of-year deadline," he said.

Farmers have been told they will not receive the grants available if the work is not completed by the last day of the year.

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times