Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 July 2018
1891. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of complaints against farm inspectors in relation to farm inspections nationally in each of the years 2013 to 2017, by county in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32496/18]
View answerThe data requested is set out in the table that follows.
|
Year |
Number of customer service complaints from farmers received by Quality Service Unit regarding inspections |
Counties |
|
2013 |
6 |
Tipperary, Wexford, Donegal, Offaly, Kildare, Cork |
|
2014 |
0 |
|
|
2015 |
1 |
Longford |
|
2016 |
3 |
Galway, Carlow, Kerry |
|
2017 |
1 |
Mayo |
The data set out in the table relates to complaints from farmers received by the Quality Service Unit of my Department as part of my Department’s Customer Service Complaints Procedure. It is important to note that this Customer Service Complaints Procedure concerns complaints regarding customer service, it does not cover requests for reviews or appeals against actual decisions taken in the operation of a scheme or service.
Where an applicant considers that an inspection has not been conducted in accordance with legislative requirements or if they consider that the inspection findings are incorrect they can seek an initial review, within my Department, by an officer more senior than the original inspecting officer. Subsequent appeals concerning entitlement to any of the payments related to the schemes listed in the schedule to the Agriculture Appeals Act, 2001 as amended are dealt with by the Agriculture Appeals Office. The Agriculture Appeals Office is an independent agency established in 2002 to provide an appeals service to farmers who are dissatisfied with decisions of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine concerning designated Schemes operated by the Department. In the event that an applicant is not satisfied with the outcome of the appeal process he/she has the right to pursue the matter further with the Office of the Ombudsman.
As set out in my Department’s Customer Service Complaints Procedure, there are three steps in the customer service complaints process:
1. Complaints should first be directed to the senior officer in charge of the business area within the Department to which the complaint pertains.
2. If the complainant is dissatisfied with the response received from the Head of the relevant business area, the complaint can be sent to the Quality Service Unit who will examine any customer service aspect of the complaint. The Quality Service Unit will have the matter fully and impartially investigated by an officer who was not involved in the matter giving rise to the complaint.
3. If the complainant remains dissatisfied after steps 1 and 2 above, it is open to the complainant to contact the Office of the Ombudsman. The Office of the Ombudsman examines complaints from people who feel they have been unfairly treated by certain public bodies, for example, government departments.
