Aontú Senator Sarah O'Reilly has criticised the Department of Agriculture for the way in which the long-awaited Forgotten Farmers Scheme has been handled, after the application window was opened for just two weeks in the middle of summer.
The Cavan Senator told Northern Sound; "Blink and you'd miss it, and the reality is many farmers have. This scheme was years in the making, yet the Department opened applications for only a fortnight in August when many farmers are at their busiest. I have already been contacted by constituents who simply did not realise the scheme had opened, only to discover that they had now missed the deadline."
When Senator O'Reilly raised the matter directly with the Department on behalf of farmers, the response received was: "The scheme closed at 17:30 yesterday evening, Wednesday August 13th. We have no instructions on whether late applications will be accepted. Your email will be filed for reference and when processing commences someone will be in contact with the applicant."
Senator O'Reilly described this response as "bureaucratic indifference at its worst." She told Northern Sound: "These farmers have been waiting for recognition and fairness for over a decade. To give them a mere two-week window at the height of summer and then not have any answers for those who, understandably, missed it is disgraceful. The Department must immediately reopen applications and ensure that no eligible farmer is excluded simply because of poor communication and planning.
"Forgotten Farmers deserve better than to be forgotten once again. I am calling on the Minister to extend the deadline, communicate clearly with all affected farmers, and ensure that this scheme finally delivers for those who have been left behind for far too long."
