REPS 4 Closure!

blue shimmering

What does everyone think of this? I am really devastated, what is going on? What will we do now - this was a lifeline for loads of farmers who are on the breadline already?

This is the last straw, what is the point in being in Europe when they can do something like this to us? Are there going to be any demonstration or any other protests? I, for one will be voting NO to Lisbon, I am raging with this government who can just drop this bombshell on us without any warning. What other sector would stand for this, being given 24 hours notice to have application, plans and so on in before 5.30 this evening - impossible!:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

Worth

Only in farming would this be allowed ,

P walsh Ifa pres has to now show leadership at last, this is gov payback for his ( p walsh ) messing around playing chicken with the gov over lisbon ref vote last time out.

It is a total disgrace, decimating agri income and living standards,
personally where is a person with a young family going to replace 1/3 of their income ?

:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::

Rujib1

There's a lot of farmers NOT in reps, who manage to make a living

R1

Worth

Thats true some farmers do make a living without reps, usually have large acreage and developed set up.

Rujib1

Worth wrote: »

Thats true some farmers do make a living without reps, usually have large acreage and developed set up.

Reps is more hassle than it is really worth. They give you money, make you spend too much of it with bloody planners most of whom, are died in the wool card carrying members of the Greens! They in turn make you spend another load of money on bull**** stuff
Then you have the aggro, of meeting deadlines, and coping with the box ticking, try to trip you up, shiney wellie wearing, overpaid, guaranteed pension, high mileage allowance, dept of ag inspectors :eek:

Who in hell needs this.

When we get back to farming, without forms, without inspectors and without beaurocrats, we just might be able to make a bob or two out of it!!

Just my repless twopence worth :cool:

R1

blue shimmering

Rujib1 wrote: »

Reps is more hassle than it is really worth. They give you money, make you spend too much of it with bloody planners most of whom, are died in the wool card carrying members of the Greens! They in turn make you spend another load of money on bull**** stuff
Then you have the aggro, of meeting deadlines, and coping with the box ticking, try to trip you up, shiney wellie wearing, overpaid, guaranteed pension, high mileage allowance, dept of ag inspectors :eek:

Who in hell needs this.

When we get back to farming, without forms, without inspectors and without beaurocrats, we just might be able to make a bob or two out of it!!

Just my repless twopence worth :cool:
R1

Don't think this will ever happen again, they will put us in jail for not conforming to the different directives etc...............mind you we would at least get fed in there!!!!!!!!:rolleyes:

Would like to see them taking the cuts that we have taken, being full time farmers and no other source of income! This time I think we are going to have to get out there and protest or there will be no end to the cuts they will impose on us. In no other sector has thousands been taken off last year in the budget and now with not being able to go into REPS 4 up on €13,000 and more taken away!

No one can sustain this, especially on the poorer disadvantaged areas of the country & we need to stand up, unite together and fight this NOW before they do more damage to our economy!

Income levies, tax, CGT.....we will soon have nothing to live on and they will have no food produced in the country - this will mean that we will all be dependent on other countries to produce food for us! Do we want that, what happens if there is a disaster in these other countries - we will not be self sufficient in the production of our food and if it becomes scarce we will lose out?

What are all the young people going to do - stay here were there are no jobs, no security of income, they can just take our money from under our noses at a drop of a hat! How on earth can we or the young people plan for that?

Disgraceful behaviour on behalf of our public representatives and if they are let away with it - they will do more to us, making sure to leave their own fat salaries, bonuses, expenses, benefits, pensions etc intact!

No, enough is enough and we need to do something NOW!

irish_bob

blue shimmering wrote: »

What does everyone think of this? I am really devastated, what is going on? What will we do now - this was a lifeline for loads of farmers who are on the breadline already?

This is the last straw, what is the point in being in Europe when they can do something like this to us? Are there going to be any demonstration or any other protests? I, for one will be voting NO to Lisbon, I am raging with this government who can just drop this bombshell on us without any warning. What other sector would stand for this, being given 24 hours notice to have application, plans and so on in before 5.30 this evening - impossible!:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

let me guess , you will vote NO to lisbon yet turn around in two years and vote for fianna fail , the reps being scrapped has nothing to do with europe , its the fault of our own country and thier reluctance to tackle public sector spending , as a result of this reluctance , reps and the like get the chop , i often used to hear farmers complain about all the red tape involved in farming and all the inspections from the dept , i wish they would realise that this red tape and theese inspections have nothing to do with europe but exist primarily to keep civil servants ( of which thier are one for ever 17 full time farmers ) at the dept of agriculture in jobs

dont cut off your nose to spite your face , europe was the best friend farmers ever had

irish_bob

Rujib1 wrote: »

Reps is more hassle than it is really worth. They give you money, make you spend too much of it with bloody planners most of whom, are died in the wool card carrying members of the Greens! They in turn make you spend another load of money on bull**** stuff
Then you have the aggro, of meeting deadlines, and coping with the box ticking, try to trip you up, shiney wellie wearing, overpaid, guaranteed pension, high mileage allowance, dept of ag inspectors :eek:

Who in hell needs this.

When we get back to farming, without forms, without inspectors and without beaurocrats, we just might be able to make a bob or two out of it!!

Just my repless twopence worth :cool:

R1

those shiney wellie wearing , over paid , under worked and guarenteed pensioned civil servants aint going nowhere even REPS is , we all seen what happend when subsidies were decoupled , not one civil servant who used to go out to farms and punch bullocks for 10 and 22 got fired , instead new jobs were made up for them like good farming practice inspections , as ive said already , all theese schemes exist primarily to keep goverment employees in jobs , thier are a million direct and indirect votes in the public sector and fianna fail know this , they have made a descision to do everything they can to hold on to this voter demographic as they know the tax payer wants them out , thier strategy while cynical is not impractical , as long as the public sector can hold on to thier cushy terms and conditions ( levy was nothing ) they will vote for whoever keeps them in the oppulence they have become accustomed to , to hell with the tax payer

reilig

I agree with Bob........ for once

irish_bob wrote: »

let me guess , you will vote NO to lisbon yet turn around in two years and vote for fianna fail , the reps being scrapped has nothing to do with europe , its the fault of our own country and thier reluctance to tackle public sector spending , as a result of this reluctance , reps and the like get the chop , i often used to hear farmers complain about all the red tape involved in farming and all the inspections from the dept , i wish they would realise that this red tape and theese inspections have nothing to do with europe but exist primarily to keep civil servants ( of which thier are one for ever 17 full time farmers ) at the dept of agriculture in jobs

dont cut off your nose to spite your face , europe was the best friend farmers ever had

Rujib1

For God's sake stop complaining :cool: Don't you know, the country is in dire straights and needs everybody to keep a stiff upper lip Wasn't Biffo's fault, now was it :rolleyes:
And just think how bad it could get, not if but when Enda Skinney and Eamo Giveawaymore to the layabouts and single mothers who live alone but actually have the partner living in, claiming every possible entitlement and working on the quiet, for cash :P

No to Lisbon, No Kenny, No to Giveawaymore, No John Gormless Green, No to the Shinners.

Jackie Healy Rea and the son with the black caipin should run the country!

No, No, No!

R1

Sam Kade

Heres a tax poem from America

Tax his land, Tax his bed, Tax the table At which he’s fed.
Tax his tractor, Tax his mule, Teach him taxes Are the rule.
Tax his work, Tax his pay, He works for peanuts Anyway!
Tax his cow, Tax his goat, Tax his pants, Tax his coat.
Tax his ties, Tax his shirt, Tax his work, Tax his dirt.
Tax his tobacco, Tax his drink, Tax him if he tries to think.
Tax his cigars, Tax his beers, If he cries, then tax his tears.
Tax his car, Tax his gas, Find other ways To tax his ass.
Tax all he has Then let him know, That you won’t be done till he has no dough.
When he screams and hollers Then tax him more,
Tax him till he’s good and sore.
Then tax his coffin, Tax his grave, Tax the sod in Which he’s laid.
Put these words Upon his tomb, ‘Taxes drove me to my doom.. . ‘
When he’s gone, Do not relax, Its time to apply The inheritance tax.

alphamale 1

Hey Blue Shimmering,

This week has been a devasting blow for approximately 32, 000 farmers who are in REPS 3. This decision to close REPS 4 is a spineless decision along with cutting the Disadvanaged Areas Payment by Dept of Finance and DAFF. i AGREE WITH YOU COMPLETELY.

Some of the comments seems unfairly negative as the REPS scheme has been the lifeline towards the farming community in disadvantaged areas along with improving the appearance of farmyards along with all of the new hedgerows that were planted. This scheme is co/funded by EU and the iRish governement by 55/45 %. The amount of VAT alone that this scheme was generating was massive along through farmers purchasing stakes and wire for fencing, gates, paint for sheds, upgrading farm buildings and slurry storage facilities.

I have heard of cases of farmers who are in serious financial problems and this is just another blow to Irish Farmers>

Also I know a planner who was going letting two planners go today and add to the > 415 K on the dole and this Govt is saying they are trying to create employment? The IFA should give a mandate to its members to votr NO to Lisbon 2

blue shimmering

irish_bob wrote: »

let me guess , you will vote NO to lisbon yet turn around in two years and vote for fianna fail , the reps being scrapped has nothing to do with europe , its the fault of our own country and thier reluctance to tackle public sector spending , as a result of this reluctance , reps and the like get the chop , i often used to hear farmers complain about all the red tape involved in farming and all the inspections from the dept , i wish they would realise that this red tape and theese inspections have nothing to do with europe but exist primarily to keep civil servants ( of which thier are one for ever 17 full time farmers ) at the dept of agriculture in jobs

dont cut off your nose to spite your face , europe was the best friend farmers ever had

I have not voted for FF for years and years.....AND DEFINITELY WILL NOT VOTE FOR THEM NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!! To a certain extent I do agree with you about REPS & Lisbon Treaty but our voice has to be heard, EU does pay a certain portion of REPS WHICH OUR GOVERNMENT IS THROWING IN THEIR FACES - no what I meant really was that I do not think there is anything more for us in Europe, this treaty is more in line to make EU run smoothly, give each EU member state a commissioner (FF Fatten their own pockets - what do commissioners do anyway, they are independent from the countries that they are from anyway and are supposed to be seen to be - yeh right). What on earth do we need so many MEP's for either, what exactly are they doing - only costing us in the EU loads of money and obviously keeping them off the dole too! Pity they wouldn't get a taste of the dole to see what it is like to live on so little with the prices of food stuffs going up so much!

As for enlargement in EU, I think it will go the same way as the European Song Contest where certain countries stick together and Ireland will be left out in the cold so why bother to vote yes for it? What exactly will farmers get from it, red tape, directives, will only help to fill the pockets of civil servants not doing any good for our environment or our livelyhoods?

No, to Lisbon is the right move I think, to let the government know we are not happy with what they are doing and also that THEY HAVE GOT IT WRONG AGAIN, AGAIN, AGAIN............We need to get them out of government and fill much fewer seats with people who will do a good job of runing this country! We have a Dail, Senate, President.......for God's sake where will all the madness end - Oh with taking away REPS 4 from farmers...................how stupid can they get!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Birdnuts

Rujib1 wrote: »

They give you money, make you spend too much of it with bloody planners most of whom, are died in the wool card carrying members of the Greens!
R1

Not the ones I know - its all about the money, most of them(indeed sums up Teagasc) don't give a toss about the environment:(

andrewdeerpark

Yes REPS4 is gone
http://www.independent.ie/national-news/this-is-a-836410000-shot-in-the-head-for-my-family-1817201.html

This is a cut by the Irish Government not the EU do not blame Europe for this disaster for small family farm units.

The CAP with its inequality still exists below:
http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/agri-foodindustry/euinternationalpolicy/commonagriculturalpolicycap/capbeneficiariesdatabase/

Have a search by name of any big farmer in your area and weep.

The real villain of the piece here is the IFA and the way they do NOT tackle any issues for the small farmer. Look at all the protests over milk prices the last couple of weeks yet the subsidies behind milk encourage bigger units to the detriment of the small producer. You do not hear the IFA putting a greater subsidy on the smaller producer while removing all subsidies on larger dairy farmers that way encouraging more small units to flourish. Scale the subsidies against bigger units so to speak (zero cost to achieve this) … oh no!

When are the small farming community going to realise that the leadership of the IFA are the ones ensuring CAP profits go to the politically active farmers at the top yet use football hooliganism tactics to swell the crowd with small farmers for any protest. Small farmers that are members of the IFA are only mugs used by the landed gentry as foot soldiers to continue feathering their nest.

Only a split within farmers, with small producers and part time ones going their own way save the small farmer now.

irish_bob

blue shimmering wrote: »

I have not voted for FF for years and years.....AND DEFINITELY WILL NOT VOTE FOR THEM NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!! To a certain extent I do agree with you about REPS & Lisbon Treaty but our voice has to be heard, EU does pay a certain portion of REPS WHICH OUR GOVERNMENT IS THROWING IN THEIR FACES - no what I meant really was that I do not think there is anything more for us in Europe, this treaty is more in line to make EU run smoothly, give each EU member state a commissioner (FF Fatten their own pockets - what do commissioners do anyway, they are independent from the countries that they are from anyway and are supposed to be seen to be - yeh right). What on earth do we need so many MEP's for either, what exactly are they doing - only costing us in the EU loads of money and obviously keeping them off the dole too! Pity they wouldn't get a taste of the dole to see what it is like to live on so little with the prices of food stuffs going up so much!

As for enlargement in EU, I think it will go the same way as the European Song Contest where certain countries stick together and Ireland will be left out in the cold so why bother to vote yes for it? What exactly will farmers get from it, red tape, directives, will only help to fill the pockets of civil servants not doing any good for our environment or our livelyhoods?

No, to Lisbon is the right move I think, to let the government know we are not happy with what they are doing and also that THEY HAVE GOT IT WRONG AGAIN, AGAIN, AGAIN............We need to get them out of government and fill much fewer seats with people who will do a good job of runing this country! We have a Dail, Senate, President.......for God's sake where will all the madness end - Oh with taking away REPS 4 from farmers...................how stupid can they get!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

thier wasnt going to be a commisioner per country under the original lisbon treaty but ireland insisted on thier being one
my point earlier was that we will have civil servants earning a living off farmers regardless of whether we are in europe or not , having a **** load of civil servants is good for votes which is why goverments are so slow to sack them and i think your dead wrong about ireland being no worse set adrift from europe , this country has almost no indigenous industry , we need the huge population of europe as an outlet for our agricultural produce , were we to leave the EU , we would end up most likely having to pay tarriffs in order to export our produce , europe is the best friend irish farming ever had , i cannot fathom why any farmer would vote no to lisbon unless they have a death wish

andrewdeerpark

A bit of a late piecemeal protest from the IFA:
http://www.independent.ie/breaking-news/national-news/farmers-protesting-throughout-country-1817897.html

From talking around turns out the large entry of diary farmers to REPS4 trying to supplement their grant aided CAP incomes killed the scheme.

In the days pre milk price drops they would not sniff at the hassle now they are chasing the payments designed for the smaller non-diary farmers.

Again we are heading back to the pre-independence English rule, large holding, landlord type farming, with the smaller farmers income squeezed to such and extent they will eventually be forced to sell to the larger neighbour.

Only small farmers are too stupid or "united in the IFA choke hold" to see it...

irish_bob

andrewdeerpark wrote: »

A bit of a late piecemeal protest from the IFA:
http://www.independent.ie/breaking-news/national-news/farmers-protesting-throughout-country-1817897.html

From talking around turns out the large entry of diary farmers to REPS4 trying to supplement their grant aided CAP incomes killed the scheme.

In the days pre milk price drops they would not sniff at the hassle now they are chasing the payments designed for the smaller non-diary farmers.

Again we are heading back to the pre-independence English rule, large holding, landlord type farming, with the smaller farmers income squeezed to such and extent they will eventually be forced to sell to the larger neighbour.

Only small farmers are too stupid or "united in the IFA choke hold" to see it...

by international standards , farms in ireland are remarkably small , i think this will inevitably change and while we wont see farms as big as in newzealand ( too many rural roads dividing large land tracts in this country ) we will see farms become much bigger , this will result in small farmers selling thier land and becoming life long labourers on large farms but this is not as tragic as some might think , in new zealand , spending you entire life working for a farmer is seen as a perfectly acceptable career , in herd of a thousand cows plus , a herd manager is a relatively well paid job which requires good skills

with the end of subsidys in sight , i think change is inevitable , thier are simply too many farmers in ireland , sad but true

squarebale

Just a comment on Lisbon and EU. If we were not in the EU we would have to sell beef pretty much at world market price (maybe half of what we get now) or export into the EU compliant with their regs anyway (so red tape would still be there) + tariffs. We're better off in the tent. With the lower output of lamb and the bigger influence of the domestic market on price it may not be just as catastophic for sheep (can it be much worse than it is). The biggest thing that annoys me about REPS isnt the form filling (I do that in one night of the year and get 5.5 grand), but rather the constraints it puts on expansion. If an old neighbour wants to keep his SFP but get you to graze the land you cant do it legally. Its crazy especially as it probably means you are farming more extensively. It's the stupid rules that really annoy me not the logical ones.

blue5000

maybe we should plant the whole f in place in trees before they cut that grant as well, supermarkets cant sell them except for a week before christmas!

alphamale 1

REPS in general allows for farmers to increease the stocking level subject to submitting an amended plan and subject to max scheme limits of 170 kgs/ha in REPS 3 and up to 250 kgs/ha in the case of REPS 4 subject to applying for a derogation provided that you have adequate sluury storage on your farm.

This closure of REPS will have a devasting blow on Irish Farmers and on the the country side as there will be black silage wrap blowing all over the place again. Hopefully i'm wrong but i really feel this will start the exodus from farming in this country

alphamale 1

You might be on to something their. They have already started to cut premiums by 8 % so next they will try to tax the premiums

bbam

Rujib1 wrote: »

claiming every possible entitlement and working on the quiet, for cash

OK.. Isn't this the argument used against so many of the farming community, not always in the wrong either..
We should be able to fight our own corner without beating down on others...

People in Ireland roll over too easily... imagine the French reaction to something like this...

alphamale 1

bbam wrote: »

OK.. Isn't this the argument used against so many of the farming community, not always in the wrong either..
We should be able to fight our own corner without beating down on others...

People in Ireland roll over too easily... imagine the French reaction to something like this...

The IFA have to get a result on this issue. One wonders that the IFA are no longer the strong Lobby group that they used to be.

road_high

Do the Gobdaws that supposedly govern this country actually realise the amount they are now going to have pay out extra in Farm Assist to all those families they are leaving high and dry?
They were getting 55% of the money from EU Funds!! They will not get those to pay Farm Assist.

whelan1

what are the alternatives if we give up farming there's not a lot to turn to

alphamale 1

I agree with MFITZY

The other 45 % was easily being made up from VAT, Tax and all associated revenue generated (eg lime). Its only going to mean more planners on the dole and some trying to set up on their own with little prospects of making a living out of it. This government and Dpt of Finance have too much power and not enough cope on

Rujib1

alphamale 1 wrote: »

REPS in general allows for farmers to increease the stocking level subject to submitting an amended plan and subject to max scheme limits of 170 kgs/ha in REPS 3 and up to 250 kgs/ha in the case of REPS 4 subject to applying for a derogation provided that you have adequate sluury storage on your farm.

This closure of REPS will have a devasting blow on Irish Farmers and on the the country side as there will be black silage wrap blowing all over the place again. Hopefully i'm wrong but i really feel this will start the exodus from farming in this country

You see, this is the puke farming mentality by more than a few lazy, stupid farmers which gives the whole farming community a bad name in the eyes of the general tax paying public. If any farmer has to be paid reps or any other inducement to keep filthy dangerous plastic from blowing around the countryside, it's one hell of a sad day, for us all!!!!!1 :mad::mad::mad::mad:

Not alaone should he not get paid, but if caught allowing plastic blow around the place he should be fined heavily. Full stop!

Abnd that's coming from a farmer!

R

Keeperlit

Unfortunatley its difficult enough to get some farmers to do work with the incentive of REPS payments without them there will be less done.....maybe with a bit of luck this might be the final nail in the coffin for these half hearted messy farmers and they will cease farming........

irish_bob

Rujib1 wrote: »

You see, this is the puke farming mentality by more than a few lazy, stupid farmers which gives the whole farming community a bad name in the eyes of the general tax paying public. If any farmer has to be paid reps or any other inducement to keep filthy dangerous plastic from blowing around the countryside, it's one hell of a sad day, for us all!!!!!1 :mad::mad::mad::mad:

Not alaone should he not get paid, but if caught allowing plastic blow around the place he should be fined heavily. Full stop!

Abnd that's coming from a farmer!

R

i fully agree and that is not to excuse the actions of our pathetic goverment one little bit

Tableman

From Rte.ie

Agriculture - More

* Reduce expenditure on the Disadvantaged Area Compensatory Allowance Scheme by 30% - €66m

* Terminate the Suckler Cow Scheme - €44m

* Close REPS 4 and no rollover from REPS 2 and 3 into REPS 4 - €80m

* Reduce Teagasc staff numbers, rationalise Teagasc and Dept offices - €37m

Total cuts €305m

Staff cuts 1,140 staff

I dont think I could survive in farming if Reps was gone along with the ruduction in the disadvantaged scheme...

dryan

Tableman wrote: »

From Rte.ie



I dont think I could survive in farming if Reps was gone along with the ruduction in the disadvantaged scheme...

With refer to the 'no rollover to Reps4 from 2 and 3' - Does this mean that one cant switch over without completing the full 5 years?

Or does it mean that you wont be accepted for Reps 4 if you already have completed 2 and 3??

Either way, this is disasterous.
What about the farmers with the suckler herds?

This is a real kick in the nuts!

Keeperlit

A proposal should be put forward to Minister Smith ...heres a few points that should be considered


1)All 62,000 farmers currently in REPS should remain in the scheme.No new entrants only young trained farmers.Everyone else has had ample opportunities to join the scheme.


2)Stricter governing of the scheme.If you break the rules you get a yellow card.Break them again and you get thrown out of the scheme.An inspection every 2 years.Im a farmer and hate inspections but if the things done right theres nothing to hide.


3)Stock must be kept 9 months out of the 12 months.Many non genuine farmers are getting there full money by buying cull ewes in the spring and selling them in Autumn.This is of very little benefit to the farming community.Would cut out many non essential farmers in the scheme

4)Reduce payment to 150 euro/ ha with a maximum payment of 8000 on 55 ha.Getting something is better than nothing.

5)REPS to be means tested.If your SFP is worth over 60,000 or income from outside farming is over 60,000 you could manage without REPS.



Feel free to slate these ideas or add to them....We need something to keep this country goin?

road_high

Wow...Bord Snip is savage on Agriculture. This an awful kick in the arse to an industry that still is the backbone of the country.
I'm disgusted to the core. Nearly a third of a cut to a sector that is already small fry (in spending terms) relative to the big three of Health, Education, Social Welfare.

Dept of Agri and Teagasc to be located at just 35 locations .
What planet is McCarthy living on. As I said the backbone of the economy, shocked I am.

road_high

Minister Smith got it in the kneck I hear down in Cork- well done to all the lads involved, great to make them see the real anger that is out there to this disgusting swipe of farmers already very small incomes. Proper order

gernon

Before the Bord Snip report was even published this morning the Dept. of Ag. announced the impending closure of 42 offices mainly AES who are dealing with REPS and FIS,FWM etc. Surely indicating a major wind down of all these schemes.

irish_bob

cuts in the dole of 5% , when you allow for inflation , this is less than 2% , those on the dole are better off than most farmers this year

road_high

irish_bob wrote: »

cuts in the dole of 5% , when you allow for inflation , this is less than 2% , those on the dole are better off than most farmers this year

Oh far better. Well all farmers may go apply and get Farm Assist. Seen as the ****ers have cut off everything else now, farmers may as well and huge numbers will be entitled.

blue shimmering

Tableman wrote: »

From Rte.ie



I dont think I could survive in farming if Reps was gone along with the ruduction in the disadvantaged scheme...

Also with the cuts of €30 for first two children and €67 for third and subsequent children, making a payment of €136 per child if it is adopted! They are attacking families all the time - it is terrible and very worrying!

They knew there would be a protest about REPS 4 closing so they cut it before the report came out - no word anywhere about cutting their own salaries, bonuses, expenses..........no, just the ordinary person on the street! Why do we need a president, so many TD, senators and so on....why could these not have been cut?

No pick on the most vulnerable who are struggling and will find it hard to stand up for themselves.....................I hope everyone turns up in CAVAN and gives SMITH a real kick up the backside, the b*****ks!!!!!!!!!!!:mad::mad::mad:

road_high

Big protest up in Cavan today. Many of you planning to head along?

fastrac

All of the bord snip cuts for farming are a done deal where other sectors keep their money til next year.All farm payments are online for the whole world to see.How many other sectors have this level of transparency. IFA should have teams in their offices helping people to flood Social Welfare with Farm Assist applications to keep farm families going.

andrewdeerpark

fastrac wrote: »

All farm payments are online for the whole world to see.How many other sectors have this level of transparency.

Surely this level of transparency is a good thing at it highlights that most average farmers receive small EU / CAP payments well below the industrial wage.

It shows clearly that the IFA have been looking after the politically active larger farmers for years while paying lip service and PR to the majority of its smaller membership. More equitable redistribution of the existing payments is the zero cost obvious solution in this global recessionary times, which the IFA will not argue.

Remember the leadership of the IFA is generally the most well off farmers creaming the top subsidies.

irish_bob

thier are a number of proposals i do support from an bord snip but and many i think should have been included

i agree with closing some rural schools , too many people in rural ireland want a school , hospital or sports stadium within spitting distance , it isnt viable , the parish in which i live has a population of around 1100 , it has three primary schools , the largest which is more or less in the village has around 90 pupils , the other two have 40 and less than 30 students respectivley , were all three schools to be merged , the furthest any pupil would have to travel to school is a maximum of four miles and for most , it wouldnt be that far

as regards dole , while i think its too high , thier is no appetite among the majority of irish people for a cut , we have a culture of high wellfare in this country which is ingrained , instead i would sack at least 50,000 civil servants , thier are 6000 civil servants in the dept of agri alone and we all know the excuse for jobs that many of them have , i would bet that you could sack at least 2000 of theese without making a blind bit of difference , the HSE has apparently up to 5000 people who dont know what it is they do , you could most likely sack 10,000 in health without effecting front line services ( dont believe the union spin ) and the various quangos which were created for the sole purpose of creating fianna fail voters could be emptied of surplus to requirements also , sacking a 30 k a year surplus to requirement civil servant even you have to pay them redundancy and then paying them 204 a week on the dole plus whatever other unemployment benefits is a significant saving for the exchequer , i feel it would be much more acceptable with the general public also

Curious Geroge

Hi all, going back to the original topic here but is there any rumour on the closure of REPS 4 been turned around. I've been reading the following articles (below) but unable to find any other sources that tell me differently. IFA Protest this morning @ 10am between ballinasloe and athlone got a good turnout and there does seem to be ALOT of affected farmers..

Does anyone know how so many farmers became aware (and had sufficent time) to get there applications in ?

Latest is to extend reps 3:
http://www.independent.ie/farming/news-features/government-may-look-at-extending-reps-3--cahill-1831737.html
New scheme ?
http://archives.tcm.ie/breakingnews/2009/07/09/story418024.asp

Others:
http://www.ifa.ie/
http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/press/pressreleases/2009/july/title,33502,en.html

alphamale 1

Seemingly the ICMSA have put forward a proposal to the Govt to extend reps 3 by 2 years?. Wot wud people think of that. Teagasc advisers and private planning practices are in real jeopardy as it s hard to diversify when farming and all associated sectors are doing badly too

artois

I'm not working farming and am living in Dublin however, I cannot understand how our government is so misguided that it is prepared to close a scheme is 75% funded by the EU.

The scheme probably doesn't even cost the irish goverment the other 25% as the entire reps income is subject to the income levy.

Instead our government feels that it would be a better idea to pay 100% of the dole/income support to the farmer and raise the money from increased taxes and from the international financial market at rates 2% above the rate Germany borrows at.

I think everything else is probably fair game but why refuse good european money????

Keeperlit

alphamale 1 wrote: »

Seemingly the ICMSA have put forward a proposal to the Govt to extend reps 3 by 2 years?. Wot wud people think of that. Teagasc advisers and private planning practices are in real jeopardy as it s hard to diversify when farming and all associated sectors are doing badly too

Very good proposal and much more likely to happen than REPS 4 ever being reopened.This should be pushed more with all farming bodies singing from the one hymesheet.Now is not the time for the farming bodies to try and outdo each other but to pull together and try and get a result for us.The fact that theres less funding from Ireland for REPS 3 may also help.......

Curious Geroge

Hi Guys,

Following up on this forum to see if there's a more information available on the status of REP3 farmers (extention??) or the possibilty of seeing REPS4 reopen for farmers again ??