I am calling on Minister Michael Creed to make an immediate statement on the details of the Tillage Farmers Compensation Scheme amid rumours that a limit of 5,000 Euro per farmer is set to be announced. I support the farmers who protested overnight at the offices of the Department of Agriculture and unless this matter is solved to the satisfaction of farmers I would support more protests.
This compensation scheme has already been held up for months and we were told in recent weeks that there would be a payout limit of 15,000 Euro per farmer which would not have been enough to compensate some farmers whose crops were ruined but now a suggestion of a limit of 5,000 is totally unacceptable and derisory amount in many cases. There are mills and suppliers who are looking for payments from affected farmers and this matter will have to be cleared up immediately. Tillage farmers affected by this crisis have been treated very poorly by the Government and I am asking Minister Creed for a realistic commitment to be made to these farmers immediately.
