The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Mary Coughlan TD, has announced the issue of the second instalment of payments to former sugar beet growers under the Diversification element of the Sugar Reform package. Minister Coughlan explained that these payments are the latest phase of payments due to the farmers affected.

“I am pleased to announce that these payments, worth almost €22 million, have begun to issue to the farmers concerned,” said Minister Coughlan. “Given the difficulties experienced by those former growers as a direct consequence of the reform undertaken at EU level, I am determined that the payments due under the various elements of the compensation package be made as swiftly as possible,” Minister Coughlan added.

These payments are in addition to payments already received by growers under the Restructuring element of the reform package, worth approximately €12 million, and the first instalment of the Diversification element, worth approximately €22 million, which were made last year. In addition, compensation totalling €5.8m was made last year and earlier this year to machinery contractors for the loss in value of specialised machinery. The former sugar beet growers involved were granted also, as part of the Reform of the Sugar Regime, additional compensation under the Single Farm Payment Scheme, which will total €123 million payable between 2006 and 2012.

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