Mar 30, 2010

ICMSA welcome funding for new Agri-environment scheme as 'first phase continuation of REPS'

The President of ICMSA, Jackie Cahill, has welcomed the announcement of funding for the new Agri-Environmental Scheme and described it as being an essential scheme to bridge the gap being particularly experienced by those farmers whose REPS 3 contracts are coming to an end. The ICMSA President said that he considers the scheme as a first phase continuation of REPS scheme.  

"I have received assurances from the Department of Agriculture that the majority of farmers should be able to achieve the maximum payment of €5,000. While I have some reservation about this, I note that the Minister in his announcement today emphasised this point again and stated that based on actual worked-out examples of farms that the remains convinced that the majority of participating farmers will be able to reach the maximum payment of €5,000", stated Mr Cahill, who concluded by observing that ICMSA will continue to work closely with officials in the Department of Agriculture to ensure that the commitments received by ICSMA - and repeated publicly today by the Minister – do, in fact, do become a reality.

Ends.        30 March 2010.

Jackie Cahill, 087-2820663

President, ICMSA

Or

Cathal MacCarthy, 087-6168758

ICMSA Press Office    

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