Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 16 February 2017

Public Accounts Committee

2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Chapter 7 - EU Refunds and Levies in the Agriculture Sector

9:00 am

Photo of Seán FlemingSeán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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-----was dealt with. The witnesses can understand that. It is not a criticism of what is front of us but that is only 50% of the story of the payments that go through the Department and Mr. O'Driscoll as a paying agent - I am putting the two together - especially if the fine relates to Pillar 1, which is not before us but we have to pick up the tab. Are there no arrangements in place given that the payments come through Pillar 1 that whoever is responsible should pay the fine? Why is it falling to the Department? Can it not be attributed back like the super levy to individual farmers? I am not suggesting it should but the milk levy was sent back to farmers to pay, not to the Exchequer. Is there not a similar arrangement in place for this for those who over-claimed because the taxpayer is picking up the tab for that whereas the farmer has to pay the super levy fine directly? Will Mr. O’Driscoll explain the two different processes?