Martin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The statistics on stocking density show significant differences in respect of those in receipt of higher payments and those on lower payments. For instance, farmers with an average single farm payment of €282 per hectare have an average stocking density of 1.47, whereas those in receipt of an average payment of €1,180 per hectare have an average stocking density of 1.92. Slightly more than 200 farmers receive a single farm payment in excess of €100,000 per annum and the amount paid to this group is €33 million per annum. A further 1,800 farmers receive a single farm payment of between €50,000 and €100,000. The small number of recipients on higher payments receive more in total than the 52,000 farmers who receive payments of less than €5,000 per annum.

Would the Minister not agree that it is unfair to have that kind of disparity between those over €100,000 and those less than €5,000?

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