Vol. 553 No. 4
7 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the status of the DVO office in Wicklow; if it contains the files of all Wicklow farmers; if it has a full-time veterinary inspector; the way in which it differs in status from other DVOs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14051/02]
A veterinary office was established in mid-2001 in Wicklow town to deal with, inter alia, aspects of DVO activity. This office is the responsibility of the SVI attached to the Tallaght office. All the DVO paper files for east Wicklow are held in the Tallaght office and the Wicklow office has a computer link to the Department's disease eradication network. The cattle movement monitoring system, CMMS, has also been activated in the Wicklow office and will be integrated with the animal health computer system, AHCS, currently in development.
There are two veterinary inspectors covering the east Wicklow area. While one is located in the Wicklow office and the other in the Tallaght office, both officers carry out duties in respect of east Wicklow as and when required. They both report to the SVI based in Tallaght. There are also three TAOs and one CO in the Wicklow office. The Wicklow and Tallaght offices cover the Dublin and east Wicklow areas for DVO matters.
Will the Minister tell me if, in other words, we are saying that the DVO office in Wicklow is not functioning like the other DVO offices around the country? It is basically a second-rate DVO office. Will he confirm that the Department never really wanted to put an office there and that it was agreed as part of the terms for the support of the last Government by my good friend, Deputy Fox? The space the office has, its manpower and the approach of the Department to it makes it seem that it is something the Department has tolerated and which may be wound down. Will the Minister confirm if I am accurate in that because there is much dissatisfaction with the service, or lack thereof, which is provided? I assure the Minister that he need not tread as carefully as he would have done a few months ago. I am sure Deputy Brennan is not watching on the monitors.
It is important for services from Departments to be available as near as possible to their clients, and that applies in the case of Wicklow.
The Minister would have to ask the Minister for Finance about that.
Wicklow has been a split area for a good length of time, with Tallaght dealing with one area and Naas the other. Extension of DVO facilities to Wicklow has been positive and my understanding is that farmer clients are very happy with it. The office will continue and farmer clients will be facilitated to the greatest possible extent. The office has a computer link to the Department's disease eradication network, the CMMS and the animal health computer system. Wicklow has a Rolls-Royce system and I want that to continue to be the case.
I assure the Minister that farming clients are very unhappy. That is not rhetoric, it is actually the case. Will he enlighten me as to whether there will ever be a full service or whether he has any intention of providing such a service at this office?
For practical purposes, having an office in Wicklow is a huge improvement on the circumstances which previously obtained. With information technology, you do not have files and bags and baggage in the one office because you can deal with queries electronically. There is an IT link among the offices, a good service is available and I have not had any complaints about what Deputy Timmins refers to as its inadequacy. It is an adequate service and information technology should be available to improve services for farm clients. Such clients can call into the Wicklow office rather than having to travel to Tallaght or Naas and that is a major improvement on what existed.
The Minister referred to the IT links. Is it the case that there are still DVO offices that cannot be upgraded because of a lack of accommodation and poor conditions under which staff work, such as the office in Roscommon?
The question refers specifically to Wicklow. The Deputy cannot ask questions about other offices.
When will the Minister ensure his staff are provided with basic facilities, whether it is in Wicklow or elsewhere?
The question refers to the Wicklow office.
Yes, but the situation is the same in many other DVO offices. When will the Minister upgrade them?
Especially the one in Roscommon.
Deputy Naughten has a point. I visited the Roscommon office a few months ago and it is overcrowded and has inadequate facilities. No matter what information technology one can provide, improved facilities are needed for that office and others. For example, the Galway office is also overcrowded. I would like adequate and upgraded facilities to be provided and I have asked the accommodation section of the Department to do so. A site was identified in Roscommon and when the preparatory work on planning and so on is completed, I hope the Deputy can look forward to new and improved facilities there.
A temporary site is available.
The Deputy might table a specific question about the Roscommon office.
