Cork has the highest number of applicants to the tillage crisis fund, with the county’s 82 applicants accounting for half of all applications.

Donegal and Galway made up a further 47 applications between them.

In all, 162 applications were received for the Weather Related Crop Damage Measure.

Applications for the fund closed on 25 August, one month after it opened.

The scheme

The Weather Related Crop Damage Measure for tillage farmers impacted by adverse weather in September 2016 was launched in July.

The €1.5m crop loss support measure was agreed between the Department of Agriculture and the IFA after a sit-in protest by the IFA at Agriculture House on Kildare Street in mid-July.

It was agreed that commercial cereal growers who experienced greater than 30% loss in tonnes of crops sold as a result of the wet harvest conditions in September 2016 were eligible to apply for aid.

The eligible crops under the measures are spring wheat, spring barley, spring oats and spring oilseed rape

The applications

These applications are currently being examined for completeness and compliance with eligibility requirements as set out in the Scheme’s terms and conditions.

Following this process, the applications will be subject to the standard administrative and on-the-ground verification procedures.

After this, payments will be made, pending approval.

Charlie McConalogue

Charlie McConalogue also welcomed the move to begin the review but too ushered caution at the process.

When speaking with the Irish Farmers Journal he said "The key thing is that there is a proper assessment conducted."

"I have a concerned that those who were affected did not apply because they had difficulty verifying losses," he added.

"I feel the issue was not handled well enough by the Minister at the time of the crisis. By failing to act at the time meant there was not a proper assessment done of the damage," McConalogue concluded.

Fianna Fáil TD Charlie McConalogue

Read more

Everything you need to know about the crop loss support scheme

Review of Agriculture Appeals Act begins