Coffey welcomes advance payments of €620m to farmers under BPS

Fine Gael Waterford Minister Paudie Coffey has welcomed the announced commencement of advanced payments to farmers under the 2015 Basic Payment Scheme and the Greening Payment.

The payments are worth over €620 million to in excess of 100,000 farmers throughout the country.

Commenting on the announcement by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney, Minister Coffey emphasised the importance of such grants for farmers and the rural economy. “Farming is a vital sector to rural Ireland not just for the output that it provides but also through the thousands of regionally based jobs that are dependent and linked to this industry. The early release of these funds will be a major boost in relieving the cash flow of farmers and encouraging confidence across the various agricultural sectors,” said Minister Coffey.