IFA Call for Glas Payments to Be Disregarded in Farm Assist Assessment

IFA Rural Development Chairman Flor McCarthy has called for GLAS payments to be disregarded in the means test for Farm Assist in a similar way to REPS and AEOS.

Flor McCarthy said that as it currently stands that under REPS/AEOS, €2,540 of REPS/AEOS payments plus 50% of remainder are not taken into account as means. Costs associated with compliance for REPS/AEOS, including planning fees, are also taken into account.
The Rural Development Chairman said that it is important that the GLAS payment is treated in the same way in the assessment process as some of the farmers who will applying for the scheme are currently in receipt of Farm Assist. It would be unacceptable that the GLAS payment would trigger them out of eligibility.

IFA has raised this matter with the Department of Social Protection and it is important that this matter is clarified before the scheme is implemented