Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
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Question 1578: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the number of farm inspections carried out in 2007. [30292/08]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The position is that my Department, in the context of delivering the Single Payment Scheme and the Disadvantaged Areas Compensatory Allowance Scheme, is required to carry out on-the-spot inspections on a number of farms covering such issues as eligibility under the Schemes, and compliance with the cross-compliance regime.

Each year a minimum of 5% of Scheme applicants must be inspected for eligibility. These checks are carried out to verify that the actual area claimed in the application form corresponds to the area held by the farmer and to ensure there are no overlapping, or duplicate claims. Up to two-thirds of these inspections are carried out without a farm visit and using the technique of remote sensing via satellite.

The rate of on-farm inspection required for cross-compliance is 1% of those farmers to whom the Statutory Management Requirements or Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition apply. However at least 5% of farmers must be inspected under the Bovine Animal Identification and Registration requirements as this level is prescribed under the relevant Regulations while 3% of sheep farmers must be inspected

For the 2007 Schemes there were a total of 7098 farm inspections. 4087 of these involved establishing eligibility for the schemes by remote sensing while 2677 farms were visited on the ground to establish eligibility. 4456 inspections concerned the Identification and Registration of Animals with a further 1406 farm inspections covering the full range of Cross Compliance Statutory Management Requirements. The on-the-spot inspections for eligibility and cross-compliance are integrated to the greatest extent possible with a view to ensuring that there is only one visit to the farm.