The remaining 15% payment in the Sheep Welfare Scheme (SWS) is set to take place in early 2018. According to IFA livestock chair John Lynskey, a total of €16m has been paid out so far to 20,986 participants under the advance 85% payment.

“Application forms for year two will be circulated early in the new year, with a return date of 2 February 2018. [It] is very straightforward and farmers in the scheme will only be required to confirm that they wish to continue to participate in year two. The declaration will also be available online,” he said.

Regarding new applicants, Lynskey said: “The scheme will be open to new entrants in 2018. A new entrant is defined as an applicant who has applied for a new flock number from 1 January 2017 and prior to 31 December 2017 or an applicant with an existing herd number who has not held or traded in sheep for a two-year period up to 31 October preceding the scheme year. The Department also clarified that based on the EU regulations, it is not possible to reopen the scheme in 2018 for those who were in sheep but did not apply in year one.”

Finally, with regard to the scheme reference number, Lynskey said: “The reference number for farmers in the scheme will remain as when they entered the scheme. The only scope for increasing numbers in the scheme is on foot of a GLAS commonage plan.”