Farming groups criticise payment delays over strikes

Farmers' groups have expressed outrage over the Department of Agriculture's announcement of payment delays for the Basic Income Support for Sustainability Scheme (BISS) and Complementary Redistributive Income Support for Sustainability (CRISS). The delayed payments, valued at approximately €600 million, were meant to commence from October 16th but have been postponed until October 27th due to ongoing public sector industrial action.

The Department of Agriculture's statement emphasized that they have explored every avenue to minimize delays, and Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon has written to major banks to provide support to the farming sector. However, Irish Farmers Association President Francie Gorman deemed the delay "unacceptable" and called for immediate government intervention. Gorman highlighted the financial strain faced by farm families who had budgeted for these payments.

ICMSA President Denis Drennan urged the minister to provide a proper explanation for the delay, questioning how the department could be caught off guard by a strike action that was officially notified weeks ago. The group representing cattle and sheep farmers, the ICSA, emphasized the critical role of BISS and CRISS payments in farmers' cash flow and daily farm operations, demanding that the Department take urgent action to prevent further delays.

Meanwhile, Macra President Josephine O’Neill called for the Department to take immediate steps to minimize the unexpected 11-day delay. While the Department assured that payments under the Eco-scheme would proceed as scheduled on the original date, the delay in BISS and CRISS payments has left farmers questioning the logic behind such a significant disruption.