Galway farmers face financial wipe-out as state reclassifies commonage
Thousands of farmers right across the west are facing a massive cut in income because of a decision by the Department of Agriculture to massively reduce commonage areas on which they depend for vital payments.
Farmers in South Galway were first in line for re-designation this week after an examination by Department of Agriculture inspectors saw the area of commonage that they are now entitled to claim for cut in half.
And that would mean the 80 farmers there will see their income slashed by a quarter.
In some cases farmers who graze the commonage in Castledaly could lose as much as €6,000 in Disadvantaged Areas Scheme payment.
That is a significant part of their annual income from agriculture where the average farm income is around €25,000.
Reports indicated that Connemara was next for reclassification – and given the condition of land west of the Corrib, they are even more dependent on these farm payments for their very survival.
The issue is particularly prevalent right along the western seaboard and farmers from Sligo and North Mayo attended an emergency meeting in South Galway this week to fight this decision as a united group.
Some said it would be met with the same reaction from the farming community as the water charges have been met with nationally – and this is particularly bad news for Taoiseach Enda Kenny, because many of the affected farmers are in his constituency.
In the case of the commonage in Castledaly, the area of land from which they claimed payments has been reduced from 97% to 42% – eroding the incomes of these 80 farmers in the process.
See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune.