Written Answers Nos. 467-484
467. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of meetings he has had with representatives of charities which are losing funding as a result of the discontinuing of the charitable lotteries fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6803/14]
View answerBeneficiaries of the Charitable Lotteries Scheme were advised by way of a letter from me dated 5th October 2012 that this Scheme would be phased out over a 3 year period, with effect from late 2013. This gradual phase out is intended to give affected organisations as much time as possible to adjust to the change and to consider how they may increase the funding they receive through other fundraising projects.
I have not met with representatives of the beneficiary charities since advising them of the phase out of the Scheme. In November 2012, a judicial review of my decision to phase out the Scheme was initiated by the Rehab Group, beneficiaries of the Scheme. A hearing took place in the High Court in July 2013 and judgement is awaited. I do not envisage meeting with representatives of the beneficiary charities while judgement is pending in this matter.
I previously met with representatives of the Rehab Group in November 2011, to discuss the Scheme and its future.
468. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the status of legal action against the State arising from the closure of the charitable lotteries fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6804/14]
View answerBeneficiaries of the Charitable Lotteries Scheme were advised by way of a letter from me dated 5th October 2012 that this Scheme would be phased out over a 3 year period, with effect from late 2013. This gradual phase out is intended to give affected organisations as much time as possible to adjust to the change and to consider how they may increase the funding they receive through other fundraising projects.
In November 2012, a judicial review of my decision to phase out the Scheme was initiated by the Rehab Group, beneficiaries of the Scheme. A hearing took place in the High Court in July 2013 and judgement is awaited.
469. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the expected appointment date for the charities regulator; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6806/14]
View answerOn 24th January 2014 I issued a call for Expressions of Interest from suitably qualified persons who wish to be considered for appointment to the Board of a new Charities Regulatory Authority, with a view to making appointments before Easter. Arrangements are also being made to appoint an interim CEO to the new Authority and a number of other administrative staff from within existing resources. I intend to have these staff in place by the end of February to enable the Authority to carry out the necessary preparatory work before coming formally into operation later this year.
An early priority for the new Authority will be the preparation and publication of a statutory register of charities. All registered charities will be required to provide reports to the Authority each year on their activities and these reports will be made available to the public. This will provide a much needed increase in transparency and accountability in the charitable sector, and will support the good practice in charity governance and management that is critical to a vibrant charity sector that commands the trust and confidence of donors and beneficiaries alike.
470. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of staff in the Dublin Garda carriage office working on the processing of taxi licences and licence renewals, respectively; and the number of licences being submitted and processed on a weekly basis. [6807/14]
View answerI have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that there is one (1) Sergeant and three (3) civilian personnel involved in the processing of taxi licences and renewals in the Carriage Office.
The number of applications submitted and processed weekly varies considerably due to the fact that, following deregulation in 2000, licences are now issued for a five year period. Over the last four years there was an average of 73 applications processed per week and approximately 300 applications have been processed so far in 2014.
471. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide details of all official engagements by him or the Ministers of State in his Department that have taken place in Northern Ireland since he took office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6822/14]
View answerI can inform the Deputy that I have taken a strong interest in cross-border co-operation in policing and criminal justice on this island since taking office as Minister and I have developed a strong working relationship with my Northern Ireland counterparts. This co-operation is multifaceted, including frequent ministerial contacts and day-to-day operational interaction between the police services and other relevant agencies, in combating the security and crime threats that face this island. North-South co-operation in combating crime is both positive and dynamic. The challenges that crime presents are shared ones and joint working will continue to support and enhance our efforts to improve community safety for all communities on this island.
I have taken part in the following official engagements in Northern Ireland since coming to office:
24 March 2011 – Stormont, Belfast
Meeting with Northern Ireland Minister of Justice David Ford MLA, Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan and PSNI Chief Constable Matt Baggott to discuss cross border co-operation.
06 April 2011 – Beragh, Co. Tyrone
Attendance at the funeral of PSNI Constable Ronan Kerr.
08 June 2011 – Armagh, Co. Armagh
Meeting with Northern Ireland Minister of Justice David Ford MLA under the Inter-Governmental Agreement on Co-operation on Criminal Justice Matters.
25 November 2011 –Antrim, Co. Antrim
Attendance at the Joint Probation Services’ Annual Seminar and meeting with Northern Ireland Minister of Justice David Ford MLA under the Inter-Governmental Agreement on Co-operation on Criminal Justice Matters.
01 February 2012 – Belfast city
Meeting with Northern Ireland Minister for Social Development, Nelson McCausland MLA.
01 February 2012 – Stormont, Belfast
Annual meeting with Northern Ireland Minister of Justice David Ford MLA and Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for Justice, Kenny McAskill MSP.
10 October 2012 – Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh
Attendance at the North-South Seminar on Cross Border Organised Crime 2012 with Northern Ireland Minister of Justice David Ford MLA.
6 November 2012 – Cookstown, Co. Tyrone
Attendance at the funeral of Northern Ireland Prison Officer David Black.
16 October 2013 – Newry, Co. Down
Attendance at the Cross Border Human Trafficking Forum with Northern Ireland Minister of Justice David Ford MLA.
15 November 2013 – Hillsborough, Co. Down
Attendance at the Joint Probation Services’ Annual Seminar and meeting with Northern Ireland Minister of Justice David Ford MLA under the Inter-Governmental Agreement on Co-operation on Criminal Justice Matters.
472. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding the court poor box; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6889/14]
View answerLast week, the Government approved the drafting of the Criminal Justice (Community Sanctions) Bill and the publication of the General Scheme of the Bill. The proposed legislation will replace the Probation of Offenders Act 1907 with modern provisions dealing with community sanctions and the role of the Probation Service in the criminal justice system.
The legislation will abolish the Court Poor Box and replace it with a statutory Reparation Fund to provide for a fair, equitable and transparent system of reparation that will apply only to minor offences dealt with by the District Court. The replacement of the Court Poor Box with a statutory Reparation Fund was recommended by the Law Reform Commission in its 2005 report The Court Poor Box: Probation of Offenders.
The new Reparation Fund will be used to provide additional funding for services for the victims of crime and compensation payments payable by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal. The legislation will clearly provide that the Reparation Fund may not be used for any purpose other than the provision of compensation, reparation and assistance for the victims of crime.
It is intended that monies to be paid into the Reparation Fund will be collected by the Courts Service, transmitted to the Department of Justice and Equality and allocated between organisations supporting victims of crime and the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal.
473. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the amount of money collected by the court poor box in each District Court area in County Mayo for 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6896/14]
View answerThe court poor box is a non-statutory system used mostly by the District Courts to impose a financial charge on a defendant to be used for a charitable purpose, usually instead of imposing a criminal conviction. Payments made to the court poor box are accounted for by the court office concerned and the accounting procedures are subject to audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General. Generally, charities are the recipients of poor box contributions but the decision is solely at the discretion of the Judge who is independent in the matter of sentencing, as in other matters concerning the exercise of judicial functions, subject only to the Constitution and the law.
In order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had enquiries made and the Courts Service has advised that statistics are available by court office and not District Court area. The table below provides details of poor box funds collected in County Mayo in the period concerned.
|
Office |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
|
Castlebar Court Office |
€19,944 |
€15,825 |
€11,475 |
€16,395 |
€14,205 |
|
Ballina Court Office |
€ 2,150 |
€11,430 |
€ 3,500 |
€ 2,820 |
€ 6,725 |
|
Total |
€22,094 |
€27,255 |
€14,975 |
€19,215 |
€20,930 |
Last week, the Government approved the drafting of the Criminal Justice (Community Sanctions) Bill and the publication of the General Scheme of the Bill. The proposed legislation will replace the Probation of Offenders Act 1907 with modern provisions dealing with community sanctions and the role of the Probation Service in the criminal justice system.
The legislation will abolish the Court Poor Box and replace it with a statutory Reparation Fund to provide for a fair, equitable and transparent system of reparation that will apply only to minor offences dealt with by the District Court. The replacement of the Court Poor Box with a statutory Reparation Fund was recommended by the Law Reform Commission in its 2005 report The Court Poor Box: Probation of Offenders.
The new Reparation Fund will be used to provide additional funding for services for the victims of crime and compensation payments payable by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal. The legislation will clearly provide that the Reparation Fund may not be used for any purpose other than the provision of compensation, reparation and assistance for the victims of crime.
It is intended that monies to be paid into the Reparation Fund will be collected by the Courts Service, transmitted to the Department of Justice and Equality and allocated between organisations supporting victims of crime and the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal.
474. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Justice and Equality in terms of the recruitment of new members to An Garda Síochána, if provisions are in place to ensure that any intake will include a quota of personnel capable of conducting duties through the medium of Irish, which is essential in Gaeltacht areas across the country in recognition of the Government's commitments under the 20-year strategy on the Irish language. [6915/14]
View answerI have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that An Garda Síochána are fully committed to fulfilling their obligations under the Official Languages Act. In this regard, fluent Irish speakers, who also fulfil all other eligibility criteria, will be assessed under a specialist Irish language stream in the current recruitment campaign. Successful candidates from the stream will be allocated to Gaeltacht areas for a period of time as determined by the Garda Commissioner.
It is intended that the first intake of new Garda trainees, who have successfully completed all stages of the recruitment competition, will enter the Garda College in the middle of this year.
475. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Defence if he will name each company awarded a contract for the provision of professional services by his Department and agencies under his aegis since May 2011; the value and purpose of the contract; if a competitive tendering process was undertaken in line with public procurement best practice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6452/14]
View answerExternal professional services are procured by my Department only where specialised knowledge and/or skills are not available within the Department. The table below sets out the list of suppliers to my Department of professional services, i.e. where professional services withholding tax has been applied, and the contract value of each, from May 2011 to January 2014.
|
Year |
Company |
Contract Purpose |
Contract Value |
Tender |
|
2010-2013 |
Fujitsu |
Network Support Services |
€150,000 |
Yes |
|
2010-2013 |
Fujitsu |
ICT Equipment Warranties & Support |
€100,000 |
Yes |
|
2011 |
Fujitsu |
ICT Oracle Support & Maintenance Services |
€227,216 |
Yes |
|
2011 |
Frank Callanan |
Independent Review |
€51,660 |
No* |
|
2011 |
Deasy Walley Partnership |
Quantity Surveyor |
€923 |
Yes |
|
2011 |
IN2 |
Mechanical & Electrical Consultant |
€27,515 |
Yes |
|
2011 |
Rogerson Reddan |
Quantity Surveyor |
€19,335 |
Yes |
|
2011 |
RPS |
Architect |
€59,054 |
Yes |
|
2011 |
Jennings O'Donovan & Partners |
Conciliation Services |
€1,513 |
Yes |
|
2011 |
Enovation Solutions Ltd |
Training Services |
€18,177 |
Yes |
|
2012 |
Fujitsu |
ICT upgrades |
€485,000 |
Yes |
|
2012 |
Bianconi |
ICT security advice & support |
€130,000 |
Yes |
|
2012 |
Wilson Architecture |
Architect |
€73,800 |
Yes |
|
2012 |
Deasy Walley Partnership |
Quantity Surveyor |
€23,370 |
Yes |
|
2012 |
J V Tierney |
Mechanical & Electrical Consultant |
€34,440 |
Yes |
|
2012 |
Donnachadh O'Brien |
Civil Engineering Consultant |
€25,695 |
Yes |
|
2012 |
Varming (VMRA Consulting) |
Mechanical & Electrical Consultant |
€23,985 |
Yes |
|
2012 |
Aecom |
Quantity Surveyor |
€37,245 |
Yes |
|
2012 |
J B Barry & Partners |
Structural Engineering Consultant |
€65,521 |
Yes |
|
2012 |
Taylor Architects |
Architect |
€79,208 |
Yes |
|
2012 |
Enovation Solutions Ltd |
Training Services |
€8,856 |
Yes |
|
2013 |
Jacques Michaud |
Air Corps Safety Management System Review |
€20,000 |
No ** |
|
2013 |
Sandra Mc Donald |
Taxation Advice |
€6,000 |
Yes |
|
2013 |
Homan O'Brien |
Mechanical & Electrical Consultant |
€54,849 |
Yes |
|
2013 |
Kerrigan Sheanon Newman |
Quantity Surveyor |
€17,366 |
Yes |
|
2013 |
Smith Kennedy Architects |
Architect |
€49,895 |
Yes |
|
2013 |
Atkins |
Structural Engineering Consultant |
€26,753 |
Yes |
|
2013 |
Mc Cullough Mulvin Architects |
Architect |
€138,990 |
Yes |
|
2013 |
Rogerson Reddan |
Quantity Surveyor |
€54,517 |
Yes |
|
2013 |
Archer Heritage |
Archaeologist |
€8,967 |
Yes |
|
2013 |
Enovation Solutions Ltd |
Training Services |
€6,273 |
Yes |
* Mr Frank Callanan, SC, was commissioned to carry out an independent review into matters relevant to the deaths of Corporal Fintan Heneghan, Private Mannix Armstrong and Private Thomas Walsh on 21st March 1989 while serving with the 64th Infantry Battalion, United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
** This contract was not subject to a competitive tender process as a unique skill set was required for completing the Safety Management System Audit.
Against the background of the difficulty experienced in recruiting doctors to the Defence Forces, it has been necessary to utilise alternative options for the provision of medical services to the Defence Forces, including the engagement, as required, of external medical practices to provide services. In the period May 2011 to Jan 2014 a total of €9,357,734 was paid to external practices to provide medical and para medical services to military personnel. An integrated model for the provision of the required medical/para medical services, involving both the Medical Corps and outsourced service provision, is being progressed.
My Department adheres to the standards set out in the Public Procurement rules & guidelines in awarding contracts, and I am satisfied that procurement of professional services is carried out in an open and transparent manner and in line with National and EU Public Procurement Guidelines.
476. Deputy Damien English asked the Minister for Defence the total amount spent on advertising by his Department and each agency under his aegis in 2013; if he will provide a breakdown of the amount spent on each of TV, radio, print, outdoor, internet and social media platform advertising; the amount spent on advertising agencies; if he will provide the information in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6579/14]
View answerDetails of expenditure on advertising by my Department and the Defence Forces in 2013 are set out in the table below.
|
Advertising Platform |
Advertising Company |
Amount |
|
TV |
N/A |
Nil |
|
Radio |
Mediavest |
€34,632 |
|
(through an Advertising Agency) |
Brindley Advertising Agency Mediavest Durrow Communications Ltd |
€128,210 €6,890 €1,353 |
|
(Direct advertising in Newspapers & Magazines) |
N/A |
€5,534 |
|
Outdoor |
N/A |
Nil |
|
Internet & Social Media |
Brindley Advertising Agency |
€6,774 €2,214 |
|
Total |
- |
€185,607 |
This expenditure includes the costs of newspaper/magazine advertisements on recruitment, on public information notices such as property transactions and warning notices in respect of military training exercises, and advertising of military commemorative events such as the Centenary of the Foundation of the Irish Volunteers and the Easter Sunday 1916 Commemoration. It also includes the costs of a seven day national and regional radio advertising campaign to promote the Government “Be Winter Ready” 2013-2014 information campaign launched in early November 2013.
I am satisfied that the expenditure incurred represents value for money, and I remain committed to an overall policy of reducing costs and maximising efficiency and effectiveness in respect of all media advertising undertaken by my Department.
477. Deputy Damien English asked the Minister for Defence if his Department currently engages in real-time reporting of online conversations on issues relating to his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6595/14]
View answerThe Department of Defence does not currently engage in real time reporting of online conversations on issues relating to the Department. However the Department does monitor media reports in relation to the work of the Department.
478. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Defence the position regarding a property (details supplied) in County Kildare; his plans regarding same; if there has been any private interest in the purchase of the property; if so, the result of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6667/14]
View answerMagee Barracks in Kildare is still in the possession of the Department of Defence. In accordance with normal procedure for the disposal of State property, my Department has on a number of occasions invited other Government Departments and Public Bodies to register any interest in this property. As there has been no interest from the Public Sector my Department is required to dispose of the property by public tender or public auction. It is planned to put the property up for private sale in 2014.
Regarding private sector interest, I have met with the Kildare Chamber of Commerce to discuss possible uses some time ago however there have been no recent developments in this area.
479. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Defence if he will provide details of all official engagements by him or the Ministers of State in his Department that have taken place in Northern Ireland since he took office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6815/14]
View answerSince being appointed as Minister for Defence, and Minister of State at the Department of Defence, respectively, neither myself nor Mr. Paul Kehoe T.D., have attended any official engagements in Northern Ireland.
480. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a decision will be made on the application for a fish farm licence by Bord Iascaigh Mhara for a fish farm in Galway Bay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6500/14]
View answerAn application by Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) for an aquaculture licence for the cultivation of finfish near Inis Oirr in Galway Bay was received by my Department in 2012. The application and its accompanying Environmental Impact Statement are being considered under the provisions of the 1997 Fisheries (Amendment) Act and the 1933 Foreshore Act.
A determination in respect of the application will be made as soon as possible following completion of the necessary assessment process. This assessment process will take full account of all national and EU legislative requirements and will reflect the full engineering, scientific, environmental, legal and public policy aspects of the application.
The fullest consideration is being given to all submissions received as part of the statutory and public consultation stages of the process.
There is always a strict separation between my Ministerial role as decision maker in respect of aquaculture licence applications and my Ministerial duty to promote the sustainable development of the industry. This separation of duties is strictly observed.
As the application is under active consideration as part of the statutory process it would not be appropriate for me to comment further at this time.
481. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the issue of allegations of weight-to-volume conversion fraud at Coillte; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6502/14]
View answerAs I have clarified previously, in response to a question from the Deputy on this subject last June, this matter relates to alleged fraud irregularities which are not specifically about Coillte but which also have a wider sectoral perspective. Further to the Deputy raising this subject in this House and at Oireachtas Committee meetings, I asked the Deputy at the time if he has evidence on which I can act, to give it to me and I will act on it. I also advised that if there are questions which need to be asked of the Coillte Board about any type of fraudulent activity, I would follow up on these matters and that I will not cast aspersions without having the supporting evidence.
A meeting was held between the Deputy, representatives of the company making the complaint and their legal representative and officials of my Department last May, following which an investigation was undertaken two officials from the Forestry side of my Department. My officials thoroughly reviewed the material received and reverted to the other attendees at the meeting for clarification on some points and then spoke to Coillte management. Contact was also made with An Garda Síochána to ascertain the status of a complaint which has previously been lodged with them. In the course of their Departmental investigation a great deal of detailed information, both written and verbal, was provided to my officials, by the company making the complaint and Coillte, who went through it and the two officials subsequently sought clarification and additional material.
A report of their investigation was finalised last November, the contents and conclusion of which was outlined to the Deputy and others at a meeting on 21 November 2013. In summary, the report states that the evidence provided by Deputy Flanagan and the complainant company does not prove conclusive on the issue of sample tampering. I understand that the Deputy was dissatisfied with the conduct and outcome of the investigation. Given the nature of the issue, I am reluctant to discuss this matter further given that it is currently under active consideration by An Garda Síochána. In addition, I have legal advice stating that the report cannot be released at this time so as “not to prejudice or impair the investigation of offences”. To assist that process, I propose to make my Department’s report, and information obtained in the course of my Department’s investigation, available to An Garda Síochána. I have also received an assurance from senior Coillte management that they will assist in any garda investigation.
482. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the price of beef, which in some instances has dropped to as low as €3.20 a kilo at the factory gate; his views on the refusal by some factories to slaughter larger cattle and the concern that the importing of beef through some factories is having an impact on price; if he will ensure that the current difficulties being experienced by beef and suckler farmers are adequately reviewed during the current consultation on Pillar 2; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6225/14]
View answerAggregate cattle supplies at Department-approved meat plants to the end of January 2014 are up almost 10% on the corresponding period in 2012 with strong increases recorded in the steer, heifer and cull cow categories. This higher throughput has led to factories giving preference to certain types of stock that are better suited to the requirements of their retail customers. Prices for prime steers and heifers have remained relatively stable but the young bull trade is challenging at present as age and weight issues continue to affect demand. However, I note that the young bull kill has increased by 50% between week 1 and week 5 of 2014. The Irish beef industry is hugely dependent on exports and the need to ensure that it is producing efficiently for overseas markets cannot be ignored.
One of the main difficulties in marketing young bulls over 16 months at age is that these animals are outside the specifications preferred by the UK market. This is a major disadvantage at present because the UK market has effectively become the highest-priced beef market in the EU.
Delays in young bull slaughtering undoubtedly put pressure on producer profit margins but neither I nor any Agriculture Minister can interfere in a trade that is cyclical in nature and prone to short-term price fluctuations. I am, of course, entirely sympathetic to those farmers facing difficulties in getting their cattle slaughtered but cattle prices are determined by the interplay of supply and demand and I have no function in relation to commercial transactions between the meat factories and their suppliers.
It is the responsibility of the industry – in this instance, processors and farmers working together – to manage the type and volume of cattle being brought to market so that the supply chain operates for the benefit of both parties and does not undermine the viability of bull beef production systems for either winter finishers or suckler farmers. I understand that producer and meat processor representatives have recently engaged in dialogue with a view to resolving the short-term oversupply of young bulls. I would encourage the various bodies to continue their discussions.
With regard to beef imports, CSO data shows that total volume inflows for the period January to November 2013 amounted to 27,000t compared to 42,000t in 2012 and 47,000t in 2011. Most beef imports are sourced from the UK either in prepared form or, more commonly, in carcase form for further processing. The fresh beef market in Ireland is almost entirely of domestic origin. As a small nation with an open economy producing six times more beef than is required for domestic consumption, and operating within a single market, it is clearly in Ireland’s best interests to facilitate international trade.
In relation to Pillar II measures, my Department recently published a consultation document outlining proposed measures for inclusion in the new Rural Development Programme (RDP) and comments from interested stakeholders are invited. Under the proposed new RDP for the period 2014–2020, a broad range of support measures for suckler farmers is under consideration including a Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP). This programme has a proposed budget of up to €52m per annum and participating framers would receive €80 for each eligible calf. It should also be noted that suckler framers would likely be some of the main beneficiaries under other schemes proposed for the RDP including the Agri-Environment and Climate Change Measure, Areas of Natural Constraints (formerly Less Favoured Areas), on-farm capital investment measures.
The draft programme is now available on my Department’s website and written submissions are being sought by the 19 February 2014. This consultation process is a key step in designing a draft RDP for submission to the EU Commission for its approval.
483. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps he will take to ensure fairness and transparency in the on-farm inspection regime; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6231/14]
View answerMy Department, in the context of delivering the Single Payment Scheme, Disadvantaged Areas’ Scheme and other area related schemes, is required to carry out an annual round of inspections covering both the eligibility of the land declared to draw down payments and also cross compliance aspects, to ensure adherence with EU regulatory requirements in the areas of public, animal and plant health, environment and animal welfare and ensuring that the farm is maintained in good agricultural and environmental condition. The basis for these inspections is governed by EU legislation, in particular, Council Regulation (EC) 73/2009 and Commission Regulation (EC) 1122/2009, and there are certain minimum numbers and types of inspections that must be conducted each year.
These inspections are a necessary requirement in order to draw down approximately €1.7 billion of EU funds annually and to avoid EU disallowances. The inspections are subject to repeated audits and my Department must therefore ensure that these inspections are conducted in a fair and equitable manner and in full accordance with the legislative provisions. These requirements, together with the need to ensure a fair and consistent approach, are achieved by ongoing inspector training, continuous oversight by supervisors and random verification inspections. Also when conducting inspections standardised inspection report forms and guidance documentation are provided to the inspecting officers, with the inspection outcome being recorded on the relevant schemes’ IT system. This comprehensive approach ensures that both the quality and consistency of inspections are maintained at extremely high levels.
Finally, there is a comprehensive appeal system in place for applicants to avail of if they consider that the inspection has not been conducted in accordance with legislative requirements or if they are unhappy with the inspection findings. This appeal system incorporates an initial review by an officer more senior than the inspecting officer, with the option to appeal the outcome of any such review to the independent Agriculture Appeals Office. In the event that an applicant is not satisfied with the outcome of this review he/she has the right to pursue the matter further with the Office of the Ombudsman.
484. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Sligo can expect to have their farm payments application processed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6239/14]
View answerAn application under the 2013 Single Payment/Disadvantaged Area Scheme was received from the person named in my Department on 7 May 2013. Following processing, dual claims were identified in respect of four land parcels declared on the application as well as an overlap in respect of one land parcel. My Department has written to both parties regarding this matter, and an official from my Department has also been in direct contact with the person named regarding this matter. Upon receipt of satisfactory replies the application will be further processed.
