Vol. 403 No. 10
9 Tomás Mac Giolla asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the current level of on-farm inspection or visits in relation to applications under the various schemes of grants and premiums; if, in view of the reduced level of inspection, he will outline the steps being taken to prevent fraudulent applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Under the sheep headage and ewe premium schemes all applicants were given on-farm inspections in 1990. Under the cattle and equine headage and beef cow and equines headage schemes in the disadvantaged areas, the suckler cow premium and special beef premium schemes, approximately 30 per cent of applicants have been given on-farm inspections this year while the remaining applicants have had their applications cross-checked against previous year's numbers, against TB herd test reports and, where necessary, against the relevant cattle identity cards. I am satisfied that these cross-checks are successfully preventing fraudulent applications.
There is no reduction in the level of on-farm inspections under the investment aid schemes or the scheme to encourage the set aside of arable land.
Who advises the Minister? It is only a couple of months since the Minister for Agriculture and Food told the House that the figure was 80 per cent. I am aware that, in recent months, there were scarcely any inspections carried out. It was proposed to withdraw the inspectors and we were told that the work would be done by the administrators in Agriculture House. I cannot accept the Minister's reply because it is inaccurate and not in accordance with the facts.
It was intended in 1990 to give on-farm inspections to 70 per cent of applicants but, because of industrial action, the percentage automatically dropped accordingly.
Is it not the case that the Department proposed a new system of inspection during 1990 which would have the effect of reducing the number of inspections from 100 per cent? The staff who carry out the inspections made representations to the Minister stating that what was proposed was an open invitation to fraudulent practice and that it would end up costing the taxpayer a lot of money. Will the Minister state whether 100 per cent inspections will be carried out in future.
Next year it is intended to continue with 100 per cent inspections for the sheep schemes because sheep do not have identifying ear tags as cattle have under the BTE scheme. It is intended to inspect 50 per cent of the cattle applicants on a random basis.
