Bobby Aylward (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Recent weeks and months have been absolutely horrendous for farmers. They are being put to the pin of their collars as a result of the scarcity of fodder and continuing poor weather. We want to take the pressure off farmers by temporarily calling a halt to all cross-compliance inspections on farms, in addition to Bord Bia farm audits. That is important because there is enough stress, both mental and financial, on farmers without them having to worry about visits by inspectors at this important time. The approach I advocate will take some of the pressure off farmers and allow them to focus on their priority, which is looking after their animals. Additionally, it will help to reduce the mental stress experienced by many farmers.

The motion calls for the establishment of a hardship fund to help small and medium-sized farms, the introduction of a meal voucher scheme for farmers affected, and the making available of low-cost credit for farmers swiftly to help pay for the cost of sourcing fodder and concentrates. Our motion also calls on the Government to immediately make outstanding 2017 balancing payments for the GLAS and sheep welfare scheme to ease the cash flow difficulties farmers are facing. The low-cost loan scheme for farmers announced last October also needs to be opened. The delay on GLAS payments rumbles on year after year. These delays are not exclusive to GLAS and are persistent in TAMS and other schemes.

I cannot begin to explain to the Minister the frustration among farmers over the consistent delays in direct payments year after year. It is also frustrating for public representatives like ourselves. I have written to the Oireachtas liaison unit twice and have tabled two parliamentary questions on behalf of a farmer from Castlebanny, Mullinavat, in my area. All I get back is a standard general response, with no specific information on the timeframe for payments. This has been going on since November 2017.

We need to do something rapidly. We need to help out the farmers.

Farmers helped out the country on numerous occasions in the recession and during the bad weather lately. Now it is up to the Minister. He has failed them miserably so far. We brought this to his attention over the past few months but he took no action. Only a fortnight ago, he realised there was a problem. We are asking him to do something about it and it is now up to him.

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