By Dionne Meehan
DONEGAL’S IFA Sheep Chairman Adrian Gallagher has welcomed the increase of the Sheep Improvement Scheme payment which was announced in the Budget this week.
Despite the IFA leading a campaign for a €30 per ewe payment, Adrian has said the increased payment of €20 is definitely a step in the right direction.
However, has the increase come too late for some sheep farmers?
Seeing an increase in clearance sales of breeding ewes in Donegal over the past few weeks, Adrian feared this may be the case.
“This should have come last year and it may have instilled some confidence into the sheep sector.
“I am hoping it will start to encourage the young generation to go into sheep farming.
“We need young, energetic farmers to get into sheep farming because it is a heavy workload industry,” he said.
With details regarding the payment still up in the air, Adrian said what sheep farmers need to see now is when this payment is going to happen.
Currently in the first year of a five year Sheep Improvement Scheme, Adrian asked the all-important questions on sheep farmer’s minds throughout Donegal.
“Will this payment be part of the payment coming in next month?
“Will the farmers get the money next month?
“That hasn’t been revealed yet but I am hoping that the payment will come in next month in November,” he said.
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