Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

478. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason there is a delay in GLAS payments; if all outstanding payments will be processed without further delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53065/18]

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

There are no delays in the issuing of GLAS payments. To date, 41,689 GLAS participants have received their 2018 advance payment. In addition, GLAS Plus payments have also been paid to 2,795 GLAS farmers. This amounts to over €150m paid since 2018 payments commenced on November 14th and equates to 96% of eligible cases paid.

Over 80% of outstanding 2018 payments require action by the GLAS participant concerned or their advisor. The remainder are at various stages of the payment process and will issue in the next pay runs. Outstanding issues include the non submission of the Commonage Management Plan, Nutrient Management Plan, Low Emission Slurry Spreading return and Rare Breeds return. Other cases require investigation as the GLAS participant has omitted to update the Department on issues crucial to the payment process. Payments are also delayed where the mandatory GLAS training has not been undertaken.

My Department is working closely with GLAS farmers and their advisors to ensure that payments issue as quickly as possible. I would urge all participants with outstanding issues to contact their advisor to ensure that their application can pass through validations without further delay. GLAS payments will continue to issue on a weekly basis.