asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state why the vacancy for a SSAO in the farm development service office, Plantation, Monaghan has not been filled, in view of the major backlog in handling applications.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Farm Development Service Post.
2.
The staffing of the various schemes operated by the Department is under constant review. The vacant post to which the Deputy's question relates is one of those at present under examination, but I cannot as yet say what the outcome of the examination may be.
Is the Minister aware of the backlog of applications in that county where at present the staff are dealing with August, 1976, applications? How does this compare with other counties as regards the number of outstanding applications?
My information is that the backlog is quite small and that there is nothing exceptional about it by comparison with the country as a whole.
I cannot agree with the Minister, because my evidence is that the backlog is as I have stated and that this post is vacant for over three months now. Would the Minister indicate when it will be filled? Is the Minister aware that his Department have transferred officials dealing with those applications to other counties to deal with tagging and checking under the cattle headage payment scheme when they should be working in their own county?
This is a perfectly normal procedure, shifting AOs from one type of job to another as urgencies or priorities are decided on. There is nothing unusual about it. It is felt that one person will not make a very great difference as regards the backlog which the Deputy says is there. I understand the explanation of the vacancy being unfilled is that the panel for this type of post was more than two years old and the staff were not inclined to accept somebody taken from a panel more than two years old and a new panel is being set up. That is really responsible for the delay.
My information and that of the Minister in regard to the backlog is at variance. Would the Minister have that examined and, if the position is as I have stated, will he transfer additional staff there to deal with the backlog?
I cannot give such an undertaking when I am told there is nothing exceptional about the backlog. By comparison with other counties it is quite normal.
Would the Minister agree that, as a result of the transfer of personnel from the development offices to other work, there is a huge backlog all over the country?
It is not a huge backlog. That is not true.
The Minister is not correct.
The Deputy's description of the situation is quite wrong.
There is a huge backlog all over the country because of the transfers.