The delay to the review of the Areas of Natural Constraint cannot affect the roll-out of €25m extra funding agreed in the budget for 2018.

This was the message delivered by IFA president Joe Healy at yesterday’s IFA hill sheep forum held in Maam Cross, Galway. Healy said that hill and mountain farmers lost out most due to cuts in funding in 2009 and as such must be included for increased payments in 2018.

The hill-sheep committee, chaired by Pat Dunne, also put forward a proposal for the IFA to look for the potential €5m underspend in the Sheep Welfare Scheme to be allocated in higher payments to hill farmers. IFA sheep chair John Lynskey said the IFA had recently met senior officials in the Department regarding ensuring any underspent Sheep Welfare Scheme funds remaining in the sheep sector.

He said he welcomed the positive proposal from the hill committee and said this will be considered with any other proposals following a consultation process with other county executives.

Meanwhile, Kildare Chilling’s Seamus Finucane said it is unlikely there will be recovery in the market for light hill lambs weighing 12kg to 15kg.