Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister has made it clear that it will be open for people who did not qualify last year. For example, someone who took over a farm would not have submitted the application in time. They may apply in the spring. I agree with him that the majority of farmers plan ahead and ensure they have enough fodder for their animals. Did he say that payments went out this week and the new applicants need to wait until spring? Can that not be brought forward? Is it possible that those who lost out last year might be able to get payments from the start of the year, rather than in spring? At what stage in early or late spring will they be paid?

There will be a great deal more work involved if we open up the scheme to new applicants to be paid by the end of the year because there was a great deal of work involved in getting the scheme up and running for the 77,000 applicants who applied for it. The details are all on the system. We opened up the system again and we take it they are applying for next year. It is very straightforward and needed to be so to have it done quickly.

Bringing in totally new applications would slow down the system and make it more difficult to administer for all of those whose applications are already in.

I expect a very small number of new entrants or applications next year. Those making fodder next year would all have been making it this year as well.

There will be new entrants to the scheme and there will be some who, for different reasons, did not apply and I want to accommodate them. I said on budget day that the scheme would be open to them in the spring and they can plan on the basis that they will be able to apply. We will process the applications in the springtime, and certainly in advance of the fodder-making season because they need the help in the same way as everybody else needed it this year.

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