Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move:

That the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine notes:- the financial strain under which many farmers are living at present;

- the difficulties faced over the past year with price volatility;

- the rising cost of fertiliser and other agricultural inputs;

- the high level of commitment by Irish farmers to environmental and greening measures;

- the fact that the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine underspent its budget in 2016;

- that 85% of GLAS payments are paid in the first tranche, with the remaining 15% withheld until the second tranche;

- the commitment from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine that all participants in the schemes would receive their first tranche payments before the end of 2016;and calls on the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine - to immediately ensure that the Department pays the first tranche of GLAS and AEOS moneys to all participants in the schemes;

- to ensure that the second tranche payments are timely and efficiently paid as promised in the second quarter of 2017;

- to ensure that farmers are given an explanation for the breach of the farmers' charter which has taken place in regard to these payments; and

- to ensure that measures are taken to ensure that such a delay will not occur again.