Ms Alice Doyle:

The most telling statement the Chair made was towards the end when he said the person going to assess the farmer does not have any understanding of farming. If I go looking for a jobseeker's allowance, I do not have to prove anything. All I have to do is show is a piece of paper which says I am unemployed whereas in a farmer's situation, it is totally unique, and the farmer himself does not know what he is allowed. In many cases, the inspector does not know either.

I have spoken to a number of inspectors about this and it varies from inspector to inspector as to how much they know. Somebody who is at it for years goes out and knows exactly what he is looking for but he also assesses the situation when he walks into the farm. He looks at the farm and he says the farmer here is of an age, for whom, as the Chair said, adult literacy could be an issue. As somebody mentioned earlier, a farmer could be almost living in squalor yet has a few bob somewhere but does not want to tell you about it. The inspector knows the situation, he is able to read it. Then somebody else goes out and they look at the situation and they take it according to the paper they have in front of them. They tick the box - you do have this, you do not have that and you do have the other. That is it.

Deputy Ó Cuív said inspectors in his area are very used to doing this, they are well able to go out and make assessments based on years of experience. On the east coast, we do not have that and coming from the south east and from Wexford, I spoke to one of the scheme supervisors. She asked me why, in the name of God, farmers in Wexford will not apply for farm assist. She is sure they are out there, she comes from the west of Ireland herself, and she said they were beating her door down to get it.

Part of that goes back to what Senator Garvey spoke about, which is the whole area of informing people they are entitled to this. We see advertisements for different welfare schemes available to the public on the television and radio all the time. If there is an increase, it is out there. It is never said or rarely, if ever, said there is a farm assist out there for farmers and that they can go and get it. Going back to the original point on the inspector being well informed as to what they are looking for and understanding farming as a unique way of life, it is terribly important and I would like to acknowledge that.