Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Sorry, you have had your say, Senator, and I am now responding if that is okay. There is an agreement between farming organisations, that represent the interests of farmers, and the Department in terms of how a new approach towards inspections would take place, that is consistent with the regulations we need to operate under, otherwise we will be subject to disallowances. Farming organisations have signed up to that but the Senator does not seem to be happy with it. I am not quite sure whose side she is on. Farming representative bodies are happy with the new farmers' charter. We are now going to implement that new approach, which is a much more farmer-friendly approach towards inspections. That has been the result of long and blunt discussions to ensure that we abide by the rules and regulations, as we are legally obliged to do. At the same time, we are introducing as farmer-friendly a regime as possible.

I do not want any scenario whereby farmers are in fear of departmental officials coming onto their land. I know the Senator has raised these issues before and I think we have responded to them in the context of discussions with farming organisations in putting together a new approach in the charter for farmers' rights. The approach will now be to ensure that the new system works and is implemented in a way that is farmer friendly on the one hand, but also abides by the tight regulations under which we have to operate.