Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 19 Oct 1995

Vol. 457 No. 3

Adjournment Debate. - Farm Development Service.

Mr. Killeen

I welcome the opportunity to draw attention to the effective suspension of all schemes under the farm development service in County Clare and the need for the Minister to provide additional allocation to enable staff resume farm inspections. As the budget for such inspections has been spent none is currently being undertaken. This is creating genuine hardship for applicants awaiting final approval under the control of farmyard pollution, dairy hygiene and other schemes and, more importantly, for farmers who have completed their works and are awaiting sanction and grant payment. Substantial sums of money are involved for some of those people. Farmers now operate a business and must meet their borrowing targets. This also affects the contractors employed to carry out the works.

The control of farmyard pollution scheme has been dogged by financial difficulties. Is this a delaying tactic to save the paltry amounts involved in paying expenses to officers or the relatively large amounts, plus interest, accruing to mainly European funds? Having regard to their additional workload, I am surprised the officers have not sought to have their salaries subject to productivity assessment and substantial increase.

As farmers have shown commendable commitment to improving environmental and hygiene standards under those schemes they must be supported and encouraged. They must have confidence in the operation of the schemes. A charter of rights for farmers must not be a meaningless document. It must under-pin fair play and co-operation between the Department and farmers. In response to a parliamentary question I tabled last week, the Minister promised to speed up the processing of applications under the schemes, but this is not happening. The schemes have effectively collapsed in County Clare. The matter was brought to the Minister's attention during his recent visit to the county and it has also been brought to his attention by the farming organisations.

I call on the Minister to restore the schemes immediately by providing additional finance to allow officers resume work and pay farmers what they are owed. I am pleased the Minister of State is present because, as a man from the west, he should understand the impact of such schemes on farmers in counties Clare, Kerry and elsewhere. I am sure he is also aware of the difficulties farmers experience as a result of such delays.

Mr. Deenihan

If the Deputy's party had its way I would not be in a position to answer his question.

I reject the Deputy's suggestion that Clare is being singled out for harsh treatment under any Department scheme. Indeed as far as the control of farmyard pollution scheme is concerned, the Deputy will be aware that I inherited an inadequately financed scheme. Therefore, the scheme had to be refinanced and the Minister recently announced a new package of financial arrangements. This will result in an increase in the funds previously earmarked for the scheme for 1996 and 1997 from £20 million to almost £60 million. Nevertheless, the performance in relation to all schemes has to be viewed against the need to keep administration costs to the minimum.

The administrative budget system was introduced a few years ago and aims at improving efficiency by making departmental management more accountable for living within total administrative allocations decided by Government, and giving accounting officers and line managers the authority to determine priorities in regard to administrative expenditure without requiring Department of Finance approval at every turn.

I am determined to ensure that my Department will meet its responsibilities to adhere to budgets unless there are significant reasons for allowing an excess on the budget. Each officer in the FDS is given an annual budget for travel and subsistence and in practice this system has worked satisfactorily. Nevertheless, there are occasions when additional work arises and the need for some additional funding may be justified. My Department has examined the position in a number of areas, including County Clare, and it has been decided to allow for a limited increase in the allocations for these areas. This should allow necessary work related to FDS schemes to proceed. I emphasise that the overall need to keep costs to the minimum necessary will remain a priority.