Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Haydon confirmed that more than 32,000 farmers have applied for the Fuel Income Support Scheme.
However, the Minister told the Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine this evening (Wednesday 10 June) that he could not yet provide a final figure for the number of farm contractors applying.
He explained that since there was no scheme for contractors previously, a paper system was used.
Instead, he told the committee, “We have received a large number of applications.”
The minister said the farmers applied through the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine (DAFM’s) AgFood online portal.
Minister Haydon said his officials are currently reviewing all applications and payments are expected to be issued in the coming weeks, before the end of July.
Fuel subsidy plan
The €85 million scheme for farmers and farm contractors was aimed at those affected by the sudden and unexpected increase in the cost of premium gasoil, also known as green diesel.
Minister Haydon said he wanted to “make sure support goes to those affected by rising prices and those actively involved in producing our food and managing our forests”.
“My ministry engaged with representative bodies before introducing the scheme and designed a clear, targeted scheme capable of getting funds to farmers and farm contractors very quickly,” he said.
“The total amount each applicant will receive will be calculated once all claims have been submitted, screened and verified.
“Based on the applications received so far, the average payment to farmers is around €650, while the average contractor will receive a payment of over €6,000.
“Larger contractors are likely to receive much higher subsidies.
“Payments will be issued once all checks are cleared,” he told the committee.
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Haydon Source: Oireachtas
In response to a question from Irish Independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice, Minister Haydon said the average payment of €650 to farmers was based on the guideline figure of 20 cents per litre.
“I’m telling you here clearly that 20 cents per liter is nothing… that final number may not be either. If I could pay more, I would.
“I set a guideline number to give a playground to people,” he said.
MP Fitzmaurice then asked the Minister whether he would “spend the full budget” under the scheme.
“Within the flexibility that I will have and with greater consent, obviously I have to work through…there are state aid rules that I have to abide by,” Haydon said.
The minister added that he would conduct negotiations with the Public Expenditure Department “regarding the final figure that I can pay.”
Minister Haydon also said he had decided so Deadline extension For a scheme where the contractors were “absolutely” in good weather the week before the original deadline.
However, he noted that fewer than 1,000 additional applications were submitted to the AgFood system during that extra week, meaning the “vast majority” of grower applications were submitted in the initial window.
