local

Scandalous cuts to DAS payments for farmers need to be reversed - Mac Sharry

Sligo Senator Marc Mac Sharry, has heavily criticised the Minister for Agriculture for overseeing an attempt to cut payments under the Disadvantaged Area Scheme (DAS).

Farmers in Sligo, Leitrim, Donegal, Cavan and throughout the country, who did not have much stock last year, have begun to receive letters from the Department outlining that unless the letters are answered by next Friday (24 August), they may lose these payments for 2012.

Senator Mac Sharry (Fianna Fáil) commented: “Fianna Fáil has written to the Minister pleading with him to defer withdrawing any payments to farmers. He needs to immediately scrap any changes to the Disadvantaged Area Scheme (DAS), in light of the terrible summer we have had, farmers, especially throughout the western seaboard, have already taken huge hits to their finances, they cannot afford to take any more cuts to their income.

“Farmers can appeal the decision to the Department in some circumstances but the changes need to be scraped because of the awful weather farmers have had.

At least 12,000 farmers, including many in this region will not meet the new criteria and have only a week left to appeal this.

“The Minister’s decision will badly affect farmers who actually farm land among the poorest in the country, mainly along the Western seaboard. This move is discriminatory in nature and I firmly believe that smaller farmers should be supported and not targeted in this manner.

“Small farmers will lose payments of up to €3,000 under these plans and this will drive them off the land. The new stocking requirements need to be withdrawn, famers have been forced to buy stock for land that is in a poor condition and many farmers are under severe financial strain.

“The Minister has displayed a blatant disregard for the challenges facing farmers in the north west, he should change this plan and revert to 2011 stocking levels.