24-04-2025
ICSA: ‘Unacceptable TB payment delays must never be repeated'
The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers' Association's (ICSA) animal health and welfare chair, John Barron has welcomed the issuing of top-up income supplement payments to farmers affected by TB who were paid at the wrong rate.
However, according to Barron, the 'unacceptable' delays in the payments must 'never be repeated'.
Barron said: 'These payments are long overdue, and it is only right that farmers who were short-changed due to administrative and IT delays are finally receiving the money they are owed.
'This should not have taken so long. These are farmers who have been under serious financial strain due to TB restrictions, and they have been waiting more than two years to be paid at the correct rate.'
The top-up payments relate to income supplement claims made between February 1, 2023 and the the end of February 2024.
According to the ICSA, during this time payments continued to be issued at 'outdated rates', despite higher rates having been agreed at the TB forum.
The enhanced rates are currently being paid only to farmers who have entered a breakdown since February 29, 2024.
The ICSA claims the new rates. agreed over two years ago, introduced increases across all categories of income supplements:
Dairy: From €55/month to €100 for the first five months post-calving, and €65 for months 6-10.
Suckler: From €38.09/month to €52 for the first seven months post-calving, and €40 for months 8-12.
Other stock: From €25.39/month to €30.
ICSA
Barron said: 'While it is positive to see this issue finally being resolved, the delay highlights a worrying lack of urgency in delivering on commitments made to farmers.
'In addition, with inflation continuing to erode the real value of these payments, we believe the time has come for a further full review of these rates.'
Balancing payments are now being issued to affected farmers, and details can be found in the Financial Self-Service (FSS) portal on AgFood under the title 'Financial Working Group Income Supplement Balancing Payment'.
The ICSA claims the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has indicated that it will take a number of weeks to process all payments.
