Lorraine Higgins (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State and thank him for being present to discuss farm inspections. As he probably knows, the inspection regime is about to restart. In this light, it is imperative that I highlight some of the practices carried out by some - I stress that word - officials during the last inspection period.

In my constituency of Galway East and replicated throughout the country, inspectors arrived on farms to conduct inspections without giving prior notice. In the ordinary way, this would render their arrival on the farms illegal, but they arrived under the guise of the animal feed and hygiene regulations, under which no notice is required according to EU law. A difficulty arose in many cases, in that the departmental officials in question purported to be carrying out tagging inspections on cattle and sheep, in respect of which 48 hours notice is required, and further inspections on land eligibility, in respect of which 14 days notice should be given. From my legal experience, it is clear to me that a cut to any single farm payment stemming from such inspections would be null and void, as the official in question would have exceeded his or her jurisdiction. In many of the cases of which I have been made aware, some departmental officials gave notice to farmers that the latter's single farm payments were going to be cut. They did this on an ad hoc basis and the notice was not particularised.

It is clear that we as a Government must strive for better standards to ensure best practice is adhered to and that the fundamental principles of fair procedures and processes are upheld. The farmers of Galway East dread the inspections that are about to start. Often, farmers are afraid to stand up for their rights for fear of detrimental action being taken against them. This is wrong and unacceptably reins in the farming community. We must put a stop to it.

Will the Minister of State ensure all rules and regulations are adhered to by the Department's officials? To ensure clarity, will the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and his Department distribute a charter of rights to all farmers so that it can be shown that we have taken steps to alleviate this unacceptable situation? People should not live in fear of inspections. I look forward to the Minister of State's response.