A TOTAL of 10,621 Galway farmers last week received an advance payment [70%] of just over €40 million over the past week – averaging out at €3,766 per applicant, according to figures produced by the Dept. of Agriculture.

On a county-by-county basis, Galway was the second biggest recipient of BISS [Basic Income Support for Sustainability], behind Cork, whose 11,121 farmers drew down a total of almost €60.7 million.

However, according to the Dept. of Agriculture figures, there are still almost 1,000 [982] Galway applicants whose monies weren’t approved in last week’s first tranche of payments.

The Department stated that the reason for payments not being made included applicants not holding payment entitlements; a claimed area of zero being declared on the application; or the applicant not having eligible land.

Total payments made last week to Mayo’s 9,997 approved applicants totalled €36.05 million or an average of €3,600 per farmer with a further 945 still awaiting to be approved.

Nationally the Minister for Agriculture, Martin Heydon confirmed that the payment run which began on Thursday last, October 16th, amounted to €510.9 million

“These payments are a critical element of family farm income and, also make a significant contribution to the wider rural economy.

Combined with the Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme (ANC) payments that issued in September, it means that in excess of €694 million of area-based payments have been paid from my Department in the past month,” said Minister Heydon.

Local Galway TDs Seán Canney, Albert Dolan and Pete Roche were among the public representatives who welcomed the payments being made under BISS and CRISS [Complementary Redistributive Income Support for Sustainability], which they said were critical to the sustainability of the rural economy across the West of Ireland.

Minister Heydon has urged farmers with outstanding requests for documentation from the Department to return those as soon as possible to allow remaining payments to issue.

Payments under the 2025 Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme (ANC), which commenced last month, are also continuing as more cases are cleared for payment and 2025 payments under the Eco-Scheme will commence from next week, said the Minister.

■ Farmers wishing to contact the Department regarding their BISS or ANC payments can ring the Direct Payments Helpdesk at 057-8674422. Farmers can also submit any queries they may have online via www.myagfood.ie.

Pictured: Martin Heydon: Payments critical for farm family income.