Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Farmers will be aware of when payments are being made because the Department always communicates this information. The payments have always been made in two tranches and thejschemes have never run on a calendar year basis, as suggested by the Deputy. There will be farmers who will receive both a 2016 and a 2017 payment this year because that is in the nature of these schemes.