Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

GLAS provides valuable support to farmers to deliver environmental benefits and public goods which will enhance Ireland's sustainability credentials into the future. Support is provided to Irish farmers aimed at enhancing biodiversity, water quality and the mitigation of the future impacts of climate change while allowing Irish farmers to improve their agricultural practices.

The GLAS scheme is the latest agri-environment scheme available to farmers. It forms part of Ireland’s Rural Development Plan 2014-2020.  To date in excess of 50,000 farmers have had applications approved into the Scheme under three different tranches over a fourteen month period.  The approval of these farmers into the Scheme has been achieved a year ahead of the original target set when the Scheme was launched.

Almost 97% of cases in both counties have been paid and currently the applications of 26 farmers in Longford and 30 farmers in Westmeath continue to be processed with payment issuing as cases are cleared. The Department has contacted the applicants where further information to support their application is needed and we are awaiting a reply to allow the payment processing to be finalised. The Department is continuing to review outstanding cases on an on-going basis and as they are cleared they are processed for payment.