Written answers

Tuesday, 24 February 2015

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Departmental Staff

Photo of Noel CoonanNoel Coonan (Tipperary North, Fine Gael)
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303. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views that it is appropriate that officers of his Department, who have already carried out inspections on a number of controversial commonage files in south Galway, should now be allowed to carry out inspections on these same commonage files, which are the subject of an European Union audit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8154/15]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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My Department, in the context of delivering the Single Payment Scheme, Disadvantaged Areas’ Scheme, which have been replaced by the Basic Payment Scheme and Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme in 2015, and other area related schemes, is required to carry out an annual round of inspections covering both the eligibility of the land declared to draw down payments and also cross compliance aspects to ensure adherence with EU regulatory requirements and that the farm is maintained in Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition. The basis for these inspections is governed by EU legislation and there are certain minimum numbers and types of inspections that must be conducted each year. Details of these inspections and the regulations involved are published in the Terms and Conditions of the Schemes which are sent to every applicant annually. These inspections are a necessary requirement in order to draw down approximately €1.5 billion of EU funds annually and to avoid EU disallowances. The inspections are subject to repeated audits by the European Commission, the European Court of Auditors and the Comptroller and Auditor General’s Office and this ensures an independent verification that inspections are conducted in full compliance with the legal requirements. In abiding with the findings of these audits my Department ensures that these inspections are conducted in a fair and equitable manner and in full accordance with the legislative provisions. Furthermore inspecting officers are very experienced and are regularly trained to ensure that they carry out inspections in a professional manner, with a process of continuous oversight by supervisors and random verification of inspections to ensure a fair and consistent approach. Also when conducting inspections standardised inspection report forms and guidance documentation are provided to the inspecting officers, with the inspection outcome being recorded on the relevant schemes’ IT system. This approach ensures that both the quality and consistency of inspections are maintained at extremely high levels.

A comprehensive appeal mechanism is in place in order to protect the interests of farmers who have difficulties with the inspection findings or who consider that the inspection has not been conducted in accordance with legislative requirements. This appeal system incorporates the option for a farmer to initially seek to have the inspection outcome reviewed internally by an officer more senior than the inspecting officer. Where the farmer remains dissatisfied, the decision can be appealed to the independent Agriculture Appeals Office and ultimately to the Office of the Ombudsman.

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