Rather than acknowledgements just answer the question - Barry

Cllr Brendan Barry asked why "ministers send acknowledgements instead of just answering the question we asked" after receiving "acknowledgements from the department of agriculture and department of transport" at the latest Ballinamore municipal district meeting. 

Cllr Barry continued that Cllr Gerry Dolan raised the issue of delays regarding the ACRES payment and it "still hasn't been resolved and all the farm inspections, we were told, had to take place before the money was issued and that was the reason given for other things they couldn't do earlier on in November." 

He continued that there were "no issues found with the information inputted by the advisors" and stated he didn't see "why at least the bulk of the payment can't be paid before the end of the year."

Cllr Dolan said that he understood that 75% of farmers in Leitrim are in  in Co-operation Zones, which are particularly impacted by the delay, and "none of these farmers have been paid". 

He said that this is despite "everything being above board" and said he felt it was "another way to deprive Leitrim by not paying them. It's trying to sicken people and put them off farming, I think, because a lot of farmers have a very sad and poor Christmas because they are desperately waiting for this money and I think it's a disgrace."

Cllr Ita Reynolds Flynn said that she felt it was "disappointing for the farmers who are not being paid, especially for Christmas and it is a time that people would like to have a few pounds and probably were dependent on it."

Cllr Barry said farmers applied for the scheme over 12 months ago and there was "huge demand for it" and said "in fairness, to the minister, he wasn't expecting such high numbers and did accept everyone in because it's an environmental and results based scheme so he knew there would be a big workload for the department; that was time to put in the resources and plan to have everything processed in time."

Cllr Paddy O'Rourke said that for those who have children in third level education, "their income is then ballooned by receiving two payments in one year so it's undesirable."

Cllr O'Rourke said some applicants weren't accepted onto the scheme until March "and then, to accommodate 16,000 more applicants, was a major task for the department" adding "that's why there was such a delay."

He said he "didn't say this as an excuse because I'm one of the people who is inconvenienced by this as well."