Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 568: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the person on whose instructions inspectors of her Department visited farmers in County Galway prior to EU audit inspections of those same files and farms; her views on whether it is appropriate conduct for such inspectors to be involved in preparing REP scheme farm records for those farms; if she is satisfied that such records were accurate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22805/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Before a recent audit of the rural environment protection scheme, European Commission auditors chose more than 50 files for audit. On their arrival, they selected a number of these for farm visits. In these cases they also wished to observe full plan-checks and on-farm inspection procedures carried out by my officials. The auditors indicated that my Department could notify the farmers of the on-farm inspections in advance as I understand that their audit brief included an interview with the REPS beneficiaries about their participation in the scheme. Apart from offering advice, my officials do not involve themselves in the preparation of records; this is a matter for the farmer.

At any stage during an audit, other files not specified in advance may be requested for audit scrutiny. My Department always facilitates such requests and works closely with European Union and other external audit bodies to ensure the control systems in place to protect national and EU financial interests are robust.