Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 September 2015
556. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there are situations where land eligibility may be inspected without the requirement of a control report being provided to the applicant or their agent; if he will provide a list of such scenarios; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32214/15]
View answerIn the context of delivering the Direct Payment Schemes and Rural Development Measures, my Department is required to carry out an annual round of inspections covering both the eligibility of the land declared to draw down payments and to ensure compliance with Cross Compliance requirements, as set down in EU legislation and national standards. The basis for these inspections is governed by EU legislation and there are certain minimum numbers and types of inspections that must be conducted each year. Each year a minimum of 5% of beneficiaries, under the various area related schemes have to be selected for a land eligibility inspection. These inspections can be carried out either by remote sensing using satellite imagery or classical ground inspections. In either case a report form is completed as required in the regulation. In the case of classical ground inspections a control report is provided to the applicant where non compliance is found. Where the inspection was carried out by remote sensing the applicant is notified of the outcome of the inspection where non compliance is found. Where compliance is found there is no need or requirement to give the applicant a copy of the control report.
In the course of maintaining the Land Parcel Identification System the Department is required to carry out regular checks to ensure that the system is up to date. These checks can result in field verification checks. The reports of such checks do not have to be provided to the beneficiary.
A comprehensive appeal mechanism is in place for all schemes where an applicant who is dissatisfied with the outcome of an inspection can initially seek a review internally within the Department and subsequently has the option to appeal a review decision to the independent Agriculture Appeals Office.
