Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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37. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has reviewed his Department's information technology payments systems in view of the problems faced by persons submitting applications and drawing down payments for GLAS, the KTG scheme, TAMS and so on. [28153/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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In the context of the Rural Development Programme 2015 - 2020 the Department has delivered over twenty new schemes that were supported by IT capability in the last two years.  In the first two years of the current RDP programme my Department has already implemented substantially more RDP schemes than were implemented over the entire ten year lifetime of the previous RDP programme.   To date Ireland has drawn down funding at a rate that is 2.4 times higher than the EU average. This rate of delivery and draw-down would not have been possible without the availability of high quality complex IT software systems to support the business units in operating these schemes. Since 2014 my Department has adopted a policy of implementing fully digital end-to-end support for all but the smallest of schemes.

My Department has an excellent record in the delivery of high quality ICT systems.  In that respect my Department is ahead of the rest of our European partners and is also highly regarded across the Civil and Public Service.  We have been consistently among the first to make payments in the EU.

You will be aware from previous discussions in relation to the GLAS scheme that a number of issues delayed payments including:

- declaration by the applicants of an incompatible parcel usage for  the GLAS action chosen

- changes in parcel boundaries on which a GLAS action is chosen including splitting or merging of parcels

- an applicant is no longer claiming  the parcel on BPS 2016

- incomplete documentation such as incorrect information on Low-Emission Slurry declaration

- incomplete interim commonage management plans

- incompatible data and parcel history on Department databases

Separately a number of issues arose in relation to the GLAS IT system with additional functionality being required to deal with non standard cases. As advised previously I regret the difficulties that this may have caused to a number of farmers.  In direct response to the Deputy’s query I am happy to advise that the IT aspect of the delivery of these schemes has been reviewed and a revised team structure has been put in place. This matter will continue to be monitored.  All but a very small amount of outstanding work has been addressed and plans are in place to address this over the coming period.  The delivery of payments in 2017 is on-going with GLAS I and II advance payments almost complete.  GLAS + Advance Payments in respect of 2016 have issued to the majority of eligible applicants in recent days. In addition, the GLAS I and GLAS II balancing payments are scheduled to issue in the coming weeks subject to the receipt of the applicant's Nutrient Management Plan.

TAMS IT functionality is also available to pay the vast bulk of applicants. A relatively small number of TAMS II applications are subject to penalty and it is expected that payments for the majority of these cases will be issued over the coming weeks.

In relation to the Knowledge Transfer (KT) schemes the Deputy will be aware that I have recently extended the KT deadline to 31st July, which will allow facilitators and vets further time to finalise actions for KT group participants. A recent difficulty with the operation of the new systems provided by my Department for KT Farm Improvement Plans and Animal Health Measures identified has been addressed. I anticipate that payments in this scheme will be made as scheduled for the autumn of this year.