Ulick Burke (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 334: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the reason, in view of his reply to Parliamentary Question No. 197 of 1 October 2008, the regional inspector dealt with the imposition of the penalty at local level in the first instance, before it became necessary to go to appeal; the person who attended the appeal in respect of the Galway office and their costs; the cost of the venue and the appeals officers' costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34129/08]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The penalty in this case arose as a result of an inspection carried out by an Assistant Agricultural Inspector (AAI) and was appealed locally in accordance with standard procedures. Again, following these procedures, the local appeal was dealt with by the Regional Inspector (RI) who is the next higher grade. Both the AAI and the RI attended the Agriculture Appeals Office appeal in Loughrea. Travel and subsistence costs arose only in the case of the AAI and, including costs associated with another appeal hearing in Barna on the same day, amounted to €57.23.

In relation to the Agriculture Appeals Office the oral hearing was held in conjunction with a number of other cases in County Galway and the costs attributed to the Agriculture Appeals Office arising from this specific case amounted to €114.18 (€74.18 for travel and subsistence and €40 for meeting room costs).