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

Let me start by pointing out that with regard to payments, 2017 was a record year with over €1.6 billion paid by my Department to farmers. On GLAS, given that the first approvals under the scheme run from October 2015 I consider it is a remarkable achievement to have exceeded the rural development programme target of 50,000 GLAS participants within a period of 15 months. Last year we paid out almost €200 million on GLAS and since the new year we have paid a further €22.8 million.

The overriding factor in the processing of all EU-funded schemes is to ensure that all regulatory requirements are respected in issuing payments. This includes the requirement that payments cannot commence until after 15 October annually.

As of today, there are 49,700 active participants in the GLAS scheme and 93% of those eligible have received their 2017 advance payment since these payments commenced. In addition, GLAS training payments to both participants and approved GLAS trainers have commenced with over €6.3 million issued to date.

Fewer than 6,000 cases continue to be processed of which approximately 2,700 are a matter for the GLAS participants themselves, and there is nothing my Department can do to pay those until they complete the necessary steps themselves. Payments are continuing as we speak and will continue until the remaining payments are cleared. My Department is communicating further with those affected to prevent further delays to payments. I expect the 2017 balance payments to commence by the end of May and appeal to all applicants to ensure that required documentation is submitted to facilitate these payments.

Updates are published weekly on my Department's website and clearly show that progress is being made in reducing outstanding cases. It is important that any such request from my Department to a GLAS participant is responded to as the information requested is essential to finalise all checks.

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