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Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue has committed to looking at the payment dates for key farm schemes in 2024, however he confirmed the new dates for 2023 are set in stone.
The new dates will see crucial farm payments pushed back by up to a month in some cases. Farm organisations have said the decision was a unilateral decision by the Department of Agriculture.
Minister McConalogue told the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA) AGM on Thursday in Claremorris, Co Mayo, that a return to 2022 payment dates is something he has “committed to looking at for next year”.
However, he said that the new payment dates are the “best timeframe that they can be delivered on”.
“It’s something we’ll review for next year,” he said, adding that the Department would try “and pull them forward next year”.
New dates
The new ANC payment date will move back by one month.
Traditionally it began issuing to farmers from the week of the National Ploughing Championships in September. It will now begin to issue from 17 October.
The Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS), which replaces the Basic Payment Scheme this year, is usually issued around 17 October. It will now be paid on 24 October, a week later than usual.
The eco-scheme, which is a new scheme farmers apply for with the BISS, is proposed to issue on 31 October. In the past, both the BPS and former greening payment issued together.
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