Ms Gillian Westbrook:

If we were getting the same funding as Bord Bia, we would not charge either. The two private companies that run the Bord Bia certification are like ourselves. They are subcontracted to do the inspection work. I believe they inspect every 18 months. We have to do it annually because we are governed by an EU regulation on organics that requires an annual inspection plus all subcontractors, abattoirs and distribution, that is, the full chain. We have to do the full chain. I am sure that if they wanted to reassess how it is done, that is possible. It might involve deducting the money further up the chain. I do not know what the funding regime for Bord Bia is but I am sure Bord Bia inspection is being subsidised somewhere - if not directly by the farmer than through general taxpayers' money.