Eu Targeted Aid for Farmers Paid And/or Matched in a Number of Member States

Speaking from Brussels where he attended a COPA milk meeting, IFA National Dairy Committee Chairman Sean O’Leary this week said that, according to our European farming colleagues, a number of other Member States have already paid, and some opted to match, the EU targeted aid for dairy and pig farmers. Sean O’Leary urged Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney to do the same urgently.

“Our colleagues have made it very clear that Portugal has already paid the targeted aids to farmers at the end of October. The UK government has promised payment by the end of this month,” Mr O’Leary said.

“Lithuania, Finland, Spain and Sweden have topped up those payments from national funds, and in most cases have actually matched them Euro for Euro, and the Austrian government have indicated they plan to do the same,” he added.

“Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney must come forward urgently with matching funds, and pay out the targeted aid meant to assist with the cash flow pressure faced right now by dairy and pig farmers as a matter of urgency,” O’Leary concluded.