BISS and CRISS payments hit by strike

BISS and CRISS payments hit by strike

THE Department of Agriculture has officially announced that BISS and CRISS payments due to be issued from Last Friday, October 16, will now be issued on October 27.

The Department of Agriculture distributes the Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) and Complementary Redistributive Income Support for Sustainability (CRISS) payments to eligible farmers but these were delayed by the 24-hour work stoppage by civil servants on Wednesday last.

Public servants including teachers, nurses, librarians and clerical staff took the industrial action over the government’s delay in implementing a new public sector pay deal, which was due on June 30.

In a statement on their website, DAFM said: “Issuing of payments on time and to the maximum number of farmers is a key priority for the Department and every avenue has and continues to be explored to minimise delays insofar as possible.”

Payments under the Eco-scheme “are unaffected by this situation” the Department statement said and were to commence on schedule on Friday.

Many in the farming sector have queried why a one-day strike has delayed much-needed payments to farmers by 11 days while other state payments, including social welfare were paid on time.

ICMSA President, Denis Drennan, called the delay “stunning and inexplicable” and asked: “Are farmers the only ones affected?”

"What happens when they bounce for lack of sufficient funds incurring charges and affecting credit ratings? This is a massive blow for farmers,” he said.

"Are we seriously expected to believe that the department has somehow been taken by surprise by this strike action that was threatened months ago and officially notified three to four weeks ago?” Mr Drennan said.