Labour's candidate in the Tipperary South by-election has accused the Government of "hammering the farming community".
Mr Denis Landy said the first instalment of the 2001 ewe premium had been withheld until the completion of an investigation into alleged fraudulent claims by 19 farmers in Louth.
"It is ridiculous that every sheep farmer in the country should be penalised because of the actions of a rogue minority in one distinct area of the country," he said.
In response, Fianna Fail's candidate, Mr Michael Maguire, said Mr Landy showed a "total lack of understanding" of agricultural issues. He said the Department of Agriculture had announced on Wednesday that £28 million of ewe premium payments would be made in mid-July.
The Labour Party, he claimed, was calling for the Government to ignore controls and make payments to all farmers. This could lead to payments being made to those who had made incorrect, invalid or fraudulent applications, he said.
The Minister for Agriculture, Mr Walsh, said discrepancies found in the Cooley peninsula had led to alternative controls, but payment of the first instalment of the premium would start from mid-July. His objective was to have all payments made by July 31st, except in cases where queries arose.
Candidates concentrated yesterday on completing their canvasses in time for tomorrow's poll.
Independent Ms Phil Prendergast claimed she was poised to repeat the success of her colleague in the Workers' and Unemployed Action Group, Mr Seamus Healy, in last year's by-election in the same constituency.
Her deputy director of elections, Mr Paddy Healy, said Ms Prender gast had not completed canvasses of Carrick-on-Suir and Tipperary town when an MRBI/TG4 opinion poll putting her in second place had been taken.
However, Mr Charles Flanagan, director of elections for the Fine Gael candidate Mr Tom Hayes, said the 33 per cent support he had received in the same poll - compared to 28 per cent for Ms Prendergast - reflected Fine Gael's experience on the doorsteps.
A Clonmel bookmaker, Mr John Harney, yesterday cut Ms Prendergast's odds from 3/1 to 6/4 following publication of the poll.
Mr Hayes remained the favourite at 4/6, while Mr Maguire's odds drifted from 2/1 out to 6/1. Mr Landy is the outsider at 8/1.
The by-election to fill the vacancy caused by the death last year of the Fine Gael deputy, Ms Theresa Ahearn, takes place tomorrow. The candidates are: Mr Tom Hayes (FG), Ms Phil Prendergast (Ind), Mr Michael Maguire (FF) and Mr Denis Landy (Lab).
