Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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205. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to set out the number of inspections carried out on a farmer's stock (details supplied) in the past three years; the reason for the frequency of these inspections; if the level of inspections is likely to continue; the outcome of the inspections; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27445/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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EU Regulations governing the Direct Payment Schemes and Rural Development measures requires my Department to carry out inspections annually to ensure compliance with Cross Compliance requirements as laid down in EU legislation and the standards for Good Agricultural and Environment Condition (GAEC). The rate of inspection for Cross Compliance is a minimum of 1% of applicants to whom the Statutory Management Requirements (SMRs) and GAEC standards apply. However, 3% of the farmers must be inspected under bovine identification and registration requirements while 3% of sheep/goat farmers must be inspected covering 5% of the flock. The EU regulations prescribe that the selection of cases for inspection is undertaken by means of a risk analysis process, with cases being selected on a risk and random basis. In addition, my Department is required to review the results of previous year’s inspection to determine appropriate risks, which must include the criteria of previous penalties and non-compliances. The process for selecting cases for inspection has been subject to audit on numerous occasions, which has confirmed its compliance with the requirements of the EU regulations.

The 2014 Single Farm Payment application of the person named was selected for a Cross Compliance inspection. This inspection identified non-compliances in relation to cattle and sheep identification and registration requirements, resulting in a 3% penalty being applied to 2014 payments. The person named was notified of this decision on 27 August 2014. The person named sought a review of this decision, the outcome of which was to uphold the original inspection decision. The person named was notified of this outcome on 11 December 2014 and of their right to appeal the decision to the independent Agriculture Appeals Office. My Department understands that no such appeal has been submitted to that office to date.

The 2015 Basic Payment Scheme application of the person named was selected for a Bovine Identification & Registration (IDR) inspection. This inspection has been completed and the results are currently being finalised. The person named will be notified of the outcome of the inspection as soon as possible.