Balancing ANC payments issue to Mayo farmers

LOCAL Fianna Fáil Senator Lisa Chambers has welcomed the announcement by her colleague, Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue, that the balancing payments under the 2021 Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) scheme have commenced.

More than 10,000 farmers will receive payments in Co. Mayo.

Senator Chambers commented: “I’m delighted to see the commencement of balancing payments under the ANC. The balancing payments brings the total paid to date under the 2021 ANC Scheme to €239 million paid to 95,000 farmers.

“In Mayo, over €26 million will be paid to over 10,000 farmers.

“The ANC scheme is a crucial support for farm families both throughout Mayo and the country. The allocation of €250 million to the ANC scheme in 2021 reflects the government’s commitment to supporting farmers’ incomes.”

Regular payment runs will continue to be made under the scheme as further cases are cleared for payment. Any farmer with outstanding queries from the department should respond as soon as possible in order to facilitate the issuing of payments.

TAMS II APPROVALS

Senator Chambers has also welcomed the announcement that approvals are now commencing for all qualified applications received under tranche 23 of the TAMS scheme.

Minister McConalogue has confirmed that payments of over €326 million have now been issued in respect of 24,141 applications for completed investments since the opening of TAMS II. The Department of Agriculture continues to pay on average €1.3 million per week on TAMS II investments with €1.8 million paid to applicants this week.

Senator Chambers encouraged all farmers who have completed approved works and have payment claims outstanding in relation to TAMS II to submit them to the department’s online system as soon as the works are completed to facilitate the prompt issue of payments.

The current tranche of TAMS II closes on January 14. Tranche 25 will open on January 15.