Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 27 February 2014
229. Deputy Seamus Kirk asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on carrying out an audit of the bureaucratic burden on farmers with a view to bringing forward proposals to minimise the burden; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10239/14]
View answerMindful of the benefits to farmers, particularly the reduction in paperwork, but also the reduction in the level of clerical errors that ultimately delay payments, my Department has concentrated on the ongoing roll-out and improvement of online services for farmers. My commitment is to reduce the level of paperwork, the time needed to fill in applications and as the same time to reduce errors allowing for speedier service delivery.
With specific regard to the Direct Aid Schemes, including Single Payment and Disadvantaged Areas, which together account for payments in excess of €1.5 billion annually, my department’s iNet system is constantly upgraded. There are a variety of benefits in using iNet, including an on-line mapping element, which allows farmers, or their agents, who need to submit maps to the Department, to do so through iNet, thereby dispensing with the need to submit paper maps.In excess of 13,000 maps were submitted online in 2013. Other benefits of iNet include immediate acknowledgement of receipt of applications by my Department, the significant reduction in the ability to make simple clerical errors, due to the built-in system of controls and the ability to view maps and correspondence. In 2013, over 73,000 applications were submitted online, representing a ten-fold increase since iNet was launched.
I would urge anyone considering availing of the on-line facility to make enquiries via the website, www.agfood.ie or, alternatively, the dedicated Helpdesk at Lo-call 1890 252 118. There is no down-side in registering for on-line either individually, or through an agent, as farmers still retain the right to submit a traditional paper application, should they so choose. However, I am convinced that those who do sign-up will be readily impressed with the systems user-friendliness.
I must also refer to the current campaign to encourage more farmers to sign-up for my Department’s text messaging service, with a mail campaign having been launched recently. Currently some 70,000 SFP applicants are signed-up this service, which during 2013 was used to advise farmers of the SFP closing date, receipt of individual SFP applications, payments, Nitrates, etc. The benefits are very clear. There is no down-side to the service, so I would strongly urge all those not yet signed-up to do so immediately.
