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There are different views on what should be done in response to the IFA’s estimate that Ireland’s Rural Development Programme (RDP) is on course to short-change farmers by €106m.
According to a spokesperson for the Department of Agriculture: “Current projections are that the entire budget under the RDP will be fully expended. These projections are based on scheme expenditure to date and future commitments.”
The spokesperson added that fluctuations in expenditure are a common feature with all multi-annual programmes, and the RDP is no exception with three payment years yet to complete. The Department also reported that Ireland had so far drawn down RDP funding from the EU at the second highest rate of any member state.
New schemes
IFA representatives, however, insisted the Department must reallocate any savings to existing or new schemes if it is to deliver the full RDP budget promised to farmers. “There is scope to introduce additional items to TAMS and to increase ANC funding,” said IFA president Joe Healy.
Looking forward to the next CAP after 2020, IFA rural development chair Joe Brady called for a well-funded rural development scheme with a higher level of national co-financing.
“IFA wants the annual ANC budget to increase to €300m; the maximum payment under GLAS to be doubled to €10,000 with higher payments for farmers who have designated land; a wide-ranging farm investment scheme; and, a retirement scheme for farmers who pass the farm to the next generation,” he said.
The new estimates come as Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed, who previously described a potential RDP underspend as “fairytale stuff”, has until next month to examine funding options for the €200/cow suckler scheme supported by the Irish Farmers Journal/IFA Save our Sucklers campaign. The Dáil set this deadline in a cross-party resolution last month.
Fianna Fáil spokesperson on agriculture Charlie McConalogue suggested this month that unspent RDP funds may be redirected to increase the National Reserve, and give all farmers who started up before 2014 the full five-year payment under the Young Farmers Scheme. However, Minister Creed has said the EU deadline for such reallocation had passed.
Over €100m underspend by end of RDP – IFA
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