I thank the Chair for affording me the opportunity to raise the issue of delays in payments to farmers for various schemes and the difficulties arising as a result. I understand many payments have been delayed as a result of complications in the computer systems used in the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development. It appears that the system used in one section of the Department is incompatible with that used in another, meaning that many farmers who should have received payments by November 2001, at the latest, are still waiting. There are reports that some of those affected received payments this week.
It appears that the computer systems in the Department leave much to be desired, at a time when the Minister for Public Enterprise is telling us what a wonderful country Ireland is as regards information technology. The ineffectiveness of technological systems in Departments is resulting in serious problems for many. The computer system which maps the acreage of each farm seems to be separate from that containing statistics for each farm's livestock, tag and herd numbers. The systems do not link with each other. The Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs has referred to his Department's computer network which ensures statistics relating to birth, death or marriage certificates can be accessed together at the press of a button. It appears that the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development is ten years behind as its computer system is incapable of providing an effective system for its customers.
Many farmers in my constituency of Clare have suffered hardship in recent months because they have not received their payments, as I am sure the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, Deputy de Valera, can testify. It is prob able that she has received representations in her constituency office from farmers with small and medium farms, whose margins have become tighter in recent years and for whose survival premium payments are quite important. I ask her to do all she can to ensure this error is rectified as soon as possible, as it is unacceptable that payments which should have been made in October or November 2001 should remain unpaid in March 2002. The Department used to have a standard practice of making all payments to farmers before Christmas, but it seems to have gone by the board.
I am sorry the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, Deputy Walsh, is not present to comment on the decline in the numbers making certain applications, which shows that his record leaves much to be desired. The number of applications for suckler cow premium decreased by over 10,000 between 1998 and 2001 while applications for special beef premium dropped by 19,000 between 1999 and 2001. The number of ewe premium applications dropped by over 6,000 between 1998 and 2001 while the reduction in slaughter premium applications between 2000 and 2001 was about 600. A considerable drop of almost 20,000 in applications under disadvantaged area schemes was recorded between 1998 and 2001. These statistics speak volumes for the record of the Minister in relation to farms and farming families during his time as custodian of our agriculture industry. There is conclusive evidence that the numbers of farmers and herds have decreased, which is extremely serious.
I urge the Minister to ensure this crisis does not continue. The outstanding payments I have mentioned should be given priority attention. Departmental staff should do the work needed to expedite the payments manually if the technology section is unable to make computer systems compatible. As I am sure one does not need to have the scientific ability of Einstein to do it manually, a few civil servants should be employed to reduce the levels of stress, hardship and concern among farmers. I thank the Cathaoirleach for permitting me to discuss this subject.