Farmers in Westmeath get €3.4m in payments

Fine Gael Longford Westmeath TD Peter Burke has welcomed the fact that farmers in Westmeath have received €3,468,900.08 in payments under the 2016 Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme.

“My colleague, Minister for Agriculture, Michael Creed, has announced that payments under the 2016 Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme and Areas of Specific Constraint (Islands) scheme, worth over €140 million, have started issuing to almost 65,000 farmers," said Deputy Burke.

“Under the scheme, farmers in Westmeath have received €3,468,900 in payments.

“I understand that farmers using the Department of Agriculture’s online service, agfood.ie, received a text message earlier this week informing them that payments under the ANC scheme have been processed and will be lodged into their accounts from today.

"I was in touch with the Department of agriculture in relation to how the payments are ordered, and I’ve been informed that payments are made in the order of mountain type lands first; and then farmers with severely handicapped lowland receive payment second followed by those with less severely handicapped lowland farms.

“These payments represent a significant and timely financial boost for farmers in Westmeath and for the wider rural economy here in Westmeath.

"The Department of Agriculture will continue to clear remaining cases for payment over the coming weeks as a matter of priority.

“Currently, there are approximately 102,000 farmers in receipt of the payment under the scheme formerly know as the Disadvantage Area Payment.

"This year the scheme has a total budget of €195m, but under the Programme for Government there are plans to increase the funding by €25m in Budget 18.

"Fine Gael in government is committed to working to ensure that the economic recovery reaches all parts of the country and the benefits are felt inside every doorstep and in every community.”