THE delay in scheme payments to farmers this autumn – caused by the ‘new CAP’, according to the Dept. of Agriculture – has been described as ‘a disgrace’ by Connacht IFA Chair, Pat Murphy.

The candidate later this year for the position of IFA NationPaal Deputy President, said that even at this late stage there was still time to reverse the payment delays.

He accused the Minister for Agriculture, Charlie McConalogue and the Department, of placing an ‘unwarranted cashflow burden’ on farming families across the country.

“Families rely heavily on these payments to meet seasonal farming costs while it is also a very expensive time for many farm families with children either starting out or returning to college,” said Pat Murphy.

According to Minister McConalogue and the Dept. of Agriculture, this year’s delayed payment are as a result of the changes involved with the introduction of the new CAP (Common Agricultural Policy).

The Minister has said that it ‘simply wasn’t possible’ to make the payments any sooner this year but that the Dept. would be in a position to bring forward the payments next year when the new CAP had ‘bedded in’.

ANC (Areas of Natural Constraint) payments for farmers normally coincided with the National Ploughing Championships which take place next week in Ratheniska, Laois, on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

The Department has confirmed that this year, the earliest possible date for the commencement of ANC payments, will be Wednesday, October 11.

Pictured: Pat Murphy: Payment delays are ‘a disgrace’.