The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA

Lobbying Organisation The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA

Date published 21 Jan, 2022

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area EU Affairs

Period 1 Sep, 2021 to 31 Dec, 2021

Specific Details Maximum Pay Out of Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) & Other Farm Schemes

Intended results To call for the maximum pay out of this year's farm schemes. That the Department must pull out all the stops and make a strong case to the EU Commission to pay farmers, whose files have been selected for inspection and ensure they get their advance payment on October 18th. To ensure that under the LPIS review, where digitising is required, this cannot hold up payments. To highlight that IFA will not tolerate the delays which were caused by the LPIS review in the past. To welcome the commencement of ANC payments which is in line with previous years. 85% payment has been issued to 85,000 farmers whose land area has been cleared and have met the minimum stocking. The remaining 15% payment will be issued in early December. Up to 100,000 will qualify for ANC payments in 2021 worth up to €250m. To highlight to the Department the need to pay as many farmers as possible when the advance BPS payment is due from Oct 18th. To highlight that the viability of suckler farms is heavily reliant on meaningful support payments. Beef schemes payments under BEEP-S and BDGP will commence in December and this money must be paid on time. To highlight the ongoing issues farmers are experiencing with the online application process where applications are not being picked up by the Department. There are farmers who are carrying out the measures of the schemes on the understanding they are participating in the scheme only to be told that they never applied. The online application process must be revisited for all schemes. To welcome the Department's intention to provide 2017 as the new reference year for the Sheep Welfare Scheme, with flexibilities, and 2019 as the reference year for new entrants to the original scheme To highlight that for many farmers, direct payments represent more than 100% of income. Any delay in payments has financial repercussions for farmers. That the Department put alternative arrangements in place for farmers who normally attend the very important clinics at the Department of Agriculture Stand at the Ploughing, which didn't take place due to COVID-19 restrictions. To ensure that the Department are committed to putting in place more resources through a dedicated telephone service with extended hours to help farmers who have any queries on their payment status. To welcome the roll-out of GLAS payments to 34,000 participants under the scheme. He said it's important that the remaining 13,000 participants are also paid without delay. To highlight that the Department must also address any outstanding issues relating to 2020 GLAS balancing payments without delay.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Tim Cullinan IFA President, Brian Rushe IFA Deputy President, Michael Biggins IFA Rural Development Chairman, Brendan Golden IFA Livestock Chairman, Sean Dennehy IFA Sheep Chairman

Did any Designated Public Official(DPO) or former Designated Public Official(DPO) carry out lobbying activities on your behalf in relation to this return? You must include yourself, and answer Yes, if you are a current DPO or a DPO at any time in the past. (What is a Designated Public Official?) No

Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign? No

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Email (2-5)

Meeting (1)

Informal communication (2-5)

Designated public officials lobbied

The following DPOs were lobbied during this return period on this specific Subject Matter Area. These DPOs were involved in at least one of the Lobbying Activities listed above, but not necessarily all of them. As returns are specific to a Subject Matter Area the above Lobbying Activities may be associated with multiple returns.

Martin Browne TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Jackie Cahill TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Matt Carthy TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Michael Collins TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Michael Fitzmaurice TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Joe Flaherty TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Paul Kehoe TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Brian Leddin TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Michael Ring TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Victor Boyhan Senator (Seanad)

Lynn Boylan Senator (Seanad)

Paul Daly Senator (Seanad)

Tim Lombard Senator (Seanad)

Denis O'Donovan Senator (Seanad)

Barry Andrews MEP (European Parliament)

Billy Kelleher MEP (European Parliament)

Chris MacManus MEP (European Parliament)

Ciarán Cuffe MEP (European Parliament)

Clare Daly MEP (European Parliament)

Colm Markey MEP (European Parliament)

Deirdre Clune MEP (European Parliament)

Frances Fitzgerald MEP (European Parliament)

Grace O'Sullivan MEP (European Parliament)

Luke "Ming" Flanagan MEP (European Parliament)

Maria Walsh MEP (European Parliament)

Mick Wallace MEP (European Parliament)

Seán Kelly MEP (European Parliament)

Charlie McConalogue Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

Éamon Ó Cuív TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Anne Rabbitte TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Aisling Dolan Senator (Seanad)

Seán Kyne Senator (Seanad)

Eileen Mannion Councillor (Galway County Council)