merrion street

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney, TD, today reminded farmers that the closing date for receipt of applications under the 2014 Single Payment Scheme is Thursday the 15th of May. The Minister emphasised “the importance of farmers ensuring that they lodge their applications by this date, in order to avoid late penalties that must be applied under EU rules”. He added “Unfortunately quite a number of applications are received after the 15th May deadline each year and in some of these cases it is not possible to make any payment. Such penalties can easily be avoided simply by ensuring that applications are submitted on time”.

To facilitate receipt of applications the Single Payment Unit of the Department, based in Portlaoise, will be open to the public as follows: Monday 12th – Wednesday 14th May - 9am to 9pm and Thursday 15th May – 9am to Midnight.

Minister Coveney said that “In an effort to increase awareness amongst farmers of the impending deadline of 15th May for the submission of applications, my Department has commenced reminding farmers by text to submit their applications on-time and to use the on-line facility for so doing. I am confident that this initiative will further increase awareness amongst the farming community of the need to submit applications on time”.

The Minister also welcomed the increased interest in iNet, his Department’s on-line application facility for the Single Payment Scheme. "I am delighted to see that on-line applications under the 2014 Scheme are currently running well ahead of the same point during the 2013 campaign", the Minister said. "This is very much in line with the trend each year since the introduction of iNet in 2007, with increased numbers being lodged on-line each year. The continuing increase in the number of on-line applications is because of the benefits of iNet", the Minister said, outlining that, due to the system of in-built validations on the on-line facility, the options for applicants to make errors on their applications is dramatically restricted. The Minister concluded by adding "I would strongly recommend that anyone considering availing of the on-line facility to make enquiries via the website, www.agfood.ie or, alternatively, the dedicated Helpdesk at Lo-call 1890 252 118".