Tony Killeen T.D., Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, has confirmed that special payments to eligible farmers under the new Upland Sheep Payment Scheme have commenced.
Minister Killeen confirmed that he expected that Upland Sheep Payment Scheme payments worth in the region of 5 million euro would be made by the end of the month with the remaining 2 million euro being paid in early 2010. A further 54 million euro will be made available over the next three years in unused CAP funds to support incomes in the sheep sector.
The Clare T.D. said: “The Uplands Sheep Payment comprises unused funds from the Single Payment National Reserve. By creating this payment, the Government has recognised the difficulties and costs, including compliance costs, facing the sheep sector.”
“In addition to the 7 million euro payments being made over the coming weeks, the Department has allocated an additional 8 million euro for sheep fencing and mobile handling facilities to assist sheep farmers in reducing labour input, as part of a new targeted on-farm investment scheme”, added Minister of State Killeen.
Meanwhile, the Minister of State also confirmed that payments under the Single Payment Scheme and Disadvantaged Areas Scheme are continuing to issue, as individual cases are cleared for payment.
Minister of State Killeen added: “To date, the combined value of the payments that have issued under these two Schemes is in excess of EUR1.462 billion. Payments due to the small number of participating farmers under the Protein Aid Scheme, worth in excess of EUR220,000, have also begun issuing”.
Minister Killeen confirmed that he expected that Upland Sheep Payment Scheme payments worth in the region of 5 million euro would be made by the end of the month with the remaining 2 million euro being paid in early 2010. A further 54 million euro will be made available over the next three years in unused CAP funds to support incomes in the sheep sector.
The Clare T.D. said: “The Uplands Sheep Payment comprises unused funds from the Single Payment National Reserve. By creating this payment, the Government has recognised the difficulties and costs, including compliance costs, facing the sheep sector.”
“In addition to the 7 million euro payments being made over the coming weeks, the Department has allocated an additional 8 million euro for sheep fencing and mobile handling facilities to assist sheep farmers in reducing labour input, as part of a new targeted on-farm investment scheme”, added Minister of State Killeen.
Meanwhile, the Minister of State also confirmed that payments under the Single Payment Scheme and Disadvantaged Areas Scheme are continuing to issue, as individual cases are cleared for payment.
Minister of State Killeen added: “To date, the combined value of the payments that have issued under these two Schemes is in excess of EUR1.462 billion. Payments due to the small number of participating farmers under the Protein Aid Scheme, worth in excess of EUR220,000, have also begun issuing”.
