Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for the reply. I will call it as many in the farming community and I see it. Too often it seems like the Department is being run by a computer. Every time we come up with an issue, it is a question of the computer not letting officials do this or that. Even where there seems to be a reasonable problem that the application of a little common sense and reason would sort out, we are told that officials cannot do it and, unfortunately, payments are delayed. We have seen this happen across several schemes, for example, TAMS. I have learned of cases and know that Deputy Jackie Cahill has encountered similar cases. In such cases one small discrepancy means that the computer will not allow the payment to be made. There are delays for months and farmers are left in the lurch for money that they have already invested. We need to see the Department apply some common sense. It should be prepared in respect of its IT systems. It should be able to look at a file and deal with it to ensure farmers will be paid.

The Minister of State said he would address this issue in supplementary exchanges. I would like to know what specifically the Department has been doing to eradicate the problems we have seen with the IT systems. How will it operate a far more common-sense and farmer-friendly system that will not always seem to be directed by what the computer indicates?

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