Agriculture Minister, Michelle O’Neill, has announced that payments to the value of £1.523million have been issued in respect of the Transitional Payment to the Disadvantaged Area Scheme (TPDA).
The Minister previously announced a one-year transitional payment under state aid deminimis rules to those farmers who will no longer be eligible to payment on disadvantaged area land.
Commenting on the start of payments, the Minister said: “I am delighted to announce that payments under the Transitional Payment to Disadvantaged Areas Scheme have started. The £1.5million paid out so far is a welcome boost for the farming industry at a time when farmers are facing the challenges of low prices. The scheme itself is a further demonstration of my commitment to the rural economy.” Payments began issuing on Friday past and out of 6,045 applications received, DARD expects 5,908 to be eligible.
The payment was made on the basis of the eligibility requirements of the 2014/2015 LFACA scheme and was made on the eligible Disadvantaged Areas paid to farmers for LFACA 2015 scheme.
Payment was made at a flat rate of £14.40 per hectare within a budget ceiling of £2.1million.
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