Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We have gone around the houses a fair bit on this. The frustration, certainly with regard to ACRES, is that there was such a long delay and uncertainty as to when farmers would get paid and where they stood. Farmers could not get through to the Department and could not get any answers. They were on to politicians and everyone else to try to get answers for them, but they could not get answers for them either. Apart from not getting the payments out, the issue with the IT system and so on, there is a problem with communication and being able to deal appropriately with farmers who have a legitimate grievance. This should be reflected on. Work needs to be done to ensure it does not happen again, regardless of the payment.

I take the point that each time a new environmental scheme or CAP comes out, there are differences, but there are many aspects with no differences. The schemes usually pertain to the same plots of land and the same farmers. It should not be that hard, even if the system must account for ten separate actions that have to happen. Even if the next scheme has ten different actions, addressing each is just a box-taking exercise from the computer’s point of view. Much more work could be done to prepare for new schemes so we will not find ourselves in circumstances in which a new system has to be built to match each of them. A system should be built that is relatively capable of dealing with whatever scheme is designed. That is one of the big lessons we should have learned from GLAS. It is very disappointing that it was not learned at the time of that scheme.

I take the point that we will deal with farmers getting double payments each year, but this is another serious issue that needs to be examined. If payment is delayed, a farmer might get a double payment in a given year, or a triple one in some cases if the delay is sufficiently long. That is a serious issue that also needs to be examined and worked on.

Deputy Fitzmaurice mentioned the young farmer scheme, for which money is sitting there. We need clarity on how payments will be made under it. While we are aware the money is available and that there is some consultation on the scheme, what is the proposal? Do we have any indication as to how the money will be paid and the conditions farmers will have to meet? These points must be addressed for the forgotten farmers. If a system has to be built for an announced scheme again, it will be very disappointing. We need to have work done on this in early preparation.