That rich farmer down the road.........

micmclo wrote: »

How much was he getting?

http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/cap_ben_default.jsp
You can now see

Now, it doesn't include all payments so it's not a complety accurate figure but it is being updated.

Do you think this is a good idea? It was raised in Farming & Forestry forum but getting a wider debate here.
Would you like to see it extended, maybe people on various benefits? It's your tax money after all.
Or do you reckon it's private information and shouldn't be published.

And folks, I know it's public info but probably best not to post loads of extra info on your neighbours here if you recognize them

well its EU money, but its a shadey debate. On one hand its not fair on the small farmer, on the other its nice to see what the massive cattle dealer and bllodstock merchants are getting but over all i dont agree with it.

Im all for nudey pics of peoples ma's instead

jaycen wrote: »

I really don't agree, after every budget we hear from the IFA about badly farmers are doing, maybe this would either shut them up or prove them right.

BTW it is your tax money, where do you think the EU get's it from???
It's public money so the public has the right to know, if they want to stey private then just stop taking the cash and earn your own, there are still a few who do.

But how much money they get from the EU isn't going to be an accurate reflection of how well they're doing. Why would you need the statistics on individual farmers?

I say fair play to them, evey other fu8ker in the country seems to be getting handouts so why not the farmers.

Well, the TDs don't set a very good example, so we might as well have a big free for all - let's fill up some forms from somewhere or other.

What is the benefit of publishing this information in this way. What part of the public interest would be hindered by making this info available in a way which doesn't identify individuals?

I think they should fire ahead and publish the amount farmers get. That may show people how many farmers (especially small holdings) clearly aren't in the farming business for the money that is to be made.

The Irish system seems to like putting people's information out in the public domain. Tax defaulters, debtors, insurance claimants etc - all have their names blasted all over the press.

I can never recall anything like this in the UK. If someone committed a huge tax fraud, they would have been named, but no-one else gets a mention in public.

stevoman wrote: »

:rolleyes: the local council. has anyone here actually caught them working.

I saw them working once, unloading bales of brown envelopes out of the back of a truck. Strange thing was they were sweating before they started.

Im not bothered one way or another if farmers details are published online but having dealt with them for years most of them make me sick. What I am most amazed about is just how much they have managed to get for themselves from the state and what they get away with, while the taxpayer (paye and business) get screwed. If you compare their IFA with the unions, you can see just how usless the unions (with way more members) are at looking after the members.
Farming is a private business but recieves numerous handouts from the taxpayer regardless of what is produced or how well off farmers are. They have a special low tax fuel for their machinary which they can use on public roads which is not available to anyone else. They pay no rates on farm buildings, other businesses pay all the rates. They get grants to put up slatted houses to increase their stock numbers and in turn get greater subsidies but employ very few and pay miserably. Small businesses who want to expand and maybe employ a few more have to jump through hoops to try and get financial help.
They whinge constantly about foreign food products on shop shelves, they even protested outside some Lidl shops and damaged some goods inside, yet when it comes to buying supplies themselves, they will go for the cheapest regardless if it is foreign or not, they care not one jot for other irish businesses. I worked in a farm shop and was sickened by their double standards.
As for minding the countryside, they couldnt care less-they pollute the land, groundwater and rivers with slurry, nitrogen and phosphorus as long as it promotes growth and increases profits, destroying fishing and tourism in the process. They can (and do) cover roads with muck without cleaning up after themselves. Some get payments for keeping their farms tidy (Reps payments), some keep their farms in a deplorable condition, other food producers have maintain high standards or close down.
They are the biggest buyers of foreign property using handouts from the taxpayer to pay for it. Us non-farming taxpayers are very quiet indeed.

I hate how people can be so bitter towards farmers. Farming is a very hard business to stay afloat in these days especially if you've only got a small area of land to work. In fact were it not for EU subsidies there wouldn't be any small farmers left in the country.

I don't mind that figures are being made public but now that they are, all people see are lump sums. They don't factor in how much it takes to run a farm and attempt to make a profit.

Yes farmers can be paid for keeping their farm tidy (REPS) but the criteria to be met to gain this extra funding is quite stringent and are getting tougher each year.

It's far to easy for someone safe and secure with a salary coming in steadily to slate the farmer whose income is no way guaranteed from year to year.