Three farm organisations spoke in unison this week when they protested over late GLAS payments in Wexford, Dublin and Mayo.

Despite the Department of Agriculture increasing its efforts to get payments out to farmers, there are still some 9,000 farmers awaiting their GLAS payments.

One such farmer contacted the Irish Farmers Journal this week to tell his story. Like the dozens of other farmers who have been in touch, he did not want to be identified for “fear of getting an inspection”.

The Irish Farmers Journal has verified his story as true and legitimate.

“I did receive a small portion of the GLAS payment that was due to me in late December.

“I immediately contacted the Department as it was incorrect. There was apparently just one girl in the office with no supervisor present and she was not able to do anything about it.

“So I emailed details of my issue and did get a response saying that our GLAS plan did not match our BPS application.

“Last April, the Department sent out my BPS maps and they were unrecognisable compared with anything that I had ever previously submitted – despite there having been no changes in the past seven years. My planner sent in the amendments immediately.

“The reason I am now being given for incorrect payment, is that the BPS has not been updated since April and hence the GLAS computer system does not have the correct information. This is despite being paid the correct amount for GLAS in 2015.

“It is remarkable that these checks and amendments have not been done since last April. I have spent thousands of euro on fencing, digger work, apple trees, bird and bat boxes and reduced productivity, and I have seen no return yet. This is added to the exorberent prices that Teagasc is charging for the plan, and leaves a very sour taste.

Listen to “Farmers protest GLAS payment delays” on Spreaker.

“It begs the question when the €10/ewe will materialise? We have been hearing about it for over two years now and the Department is proposing to pay it in November 2017, which will probably mean sometime in 2018 by the time it comes.

“Lamb prices are offering no return at present and the pace of responding to this and other Brexit issues by the Government is appaling.

“The other thing is that all of these schemes are paid at one time of the year, which does nothing for cashflow, and invariably the money arrives late. The Charter of Farmers’ Rights needs to have interest and penalties similar to Revenue’s approach, but working in the opposite direction.

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Farmers lock horn with the Department on GLAS.