Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)

The Minister promised to issue all farmers with a copy of the checklist the Department of Agriculture and Food will use. It was not issued for the 2006 inspections. When will it be issued to farmers? If a person brings a car for an NCT, it is known what conditions and checks are required before the vehicle is brought in.

Will the Minister ensure that when an inspector carries out an on-farm inspection, the farmer gets a copy of the report on the day and does not have to wait for it? When will farmers get clear and unambiguous information with regard to the requirements under cross-compliance? A number of public meetings have taken place where representatives of the Department and of Teagasc have contradicted each other. There is serious confusion among the Department's inspectors with regard to the interpretation of the rules and regulations under cross-compliance. How are farmers supposed to understand the rules and regulations when the officials cannot decipher them?

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