Farm Inspections

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 October 2015

Tuesday, 20 October 2015

Questions (322)

Michael Fitzmaurice

Question:

322. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 142 of 26 March 2015, 366 of 21 April 2015 and 558 of 22 September 2015, the way landowners who are not applicants to a scheme can refuse to allow an inspector onto their lands, where his Department's inspectors have entered the lands without any notice, as was the case during the commonage review of 2010 and the land parcel identification system review of 2013; his views that his Department's inspectors must notify all commonage landowners prior to conducting an inspection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36402/15]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

In relation to the Single Payment Scheme and other applications for payment under the acts of the institution of the European Union listed in the schedule to S.I. 115 of 2012, authorised officers have the statutory power to enter any premises, including lands, which the officer has reasonable grounds for believing are relevant to an application.