Minister told Achill farmers are not to blame for commonage gorse fires

A DELEGATION of Achill farmers travelled to Co Donegal to meet the Minister of Agriculture to discuss the delay in payments of the revised Basic Payments and the ANC to local farmers.

The meeting which was arranged and led by Mayo IFA's Hill Representative Pat Chambers met with Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue where the farmers raised concerns they have been penalised for the burning of heather which they say have absolutely nothing to do with them.

Mayo IFA stated that the key issues of delayed payments to farmers was highlighted where a commitment was given by the Minister to have his officials solve all problems before the next payment run on December 1.

The Minister was informed by Mr Chambers that 46 letters had been issued to farmers on the Mission estate in Achill where they were penalised for overclaiming net areas. This he said was completely out of order as the same farmers had applied for the same areas in previous years.

Achill farmers who attended the meeting included John Lee, Seán Corrigan and Dominic Vesey and John Lee explained to the Minister that it was not in the interest of farmers to cause gorse fires. He also said that the delay in these payments was having a severe financial impact on the farmers in question as they have several bills to pay between bank loans, contractors veterinary animal feed bills.

A statement released on behalf of Achill farmers stated that the influx of visitors to Achill may have been a factor in the increase in gorse fires.

“These burnings have had implications on many local farmers to the sum of tens of thousands of Euros in payment cuts across several commonages in the Achill parish. Achill Island farmers are not arsonists. Many local farmers see that it is unfair, that they are currently being penalised for something that they have not caused on their commonages and are not to blame for environmental damage that fire causes to their own lands.

“Achill Island is a very popular destination for visitors who use the Wild Atlantic Way, the Great Western Greenway, hill walking, and the influx of visitors due to films including ‘The Banshees of Inisherin’, that farmers and everyone locally welcomes. However, this influx with some farmers it is felt may be an influencing factor,” the statement read.

Mr Chambers also told the Minister that the same issues also arose with farmers on Inishboffin Island where the new planner scoring for the ACRES and BISS schemes was not compatible with the Departments own GeoTag satellite system and payments were also being held up on the island.