Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 May 2023
629. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will advise the measures that his Department have put in place to reduce administrative issues arising from the application process for the basic income support for sustainability scheme and the related eco-scheme and complementary redistributive income support for sustainability scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24771/23]
View answerMy Department is committed to helping farmers to submit their scheme applications on-time and to assisting farmers to rectify any issues identified on their application, to allow payments to issues as promptly as possible in 2023.
My Department opened the online application process for the 2023 Basic Income Support for Sustainability and other area related schemes on the 28 February 2023. The closing date for applications is 29 May 2023, which provides farmers and advisors the longest possible application window to submit their application. The online application is intuitive, dynamic and user- friendly, alerting applicants of errors as they move through the application.
To reduce the administrative burden of applying for the various schemes available, the farmer can apply for a total of nine area-based schemes on the one application portal. The nine area based schemes include the following schemes:
• Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS)
• Complementary Redistribution Income Support for Sustainability (CRISS)
• Eco Scheme
• Complementary Income Support for Young Farmers (CIS-YF)
• Protein Aid
• Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC)
• Straw Incorporation Measure (SIM)
• annual claims for Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) and/or Organic Farming Scheme (OFS), if applicable.
It has been a requirement since 2018 that the the Basic Payment Scheme application is 100% online and this continues to be the case under the new CAP. The online system is designed to present the applicant with scheme options if the farmer is eligible for such schemes.
The online application process for the Basic Income Support for Sustainability and other area-based schemes facilitates early pre-checking of applications providing the opportunity to rectify errors without penalty. For example, the preliminary checks process allows farmers an early opportunity to correct land errors without penalty up to June. My Department issued some 7,138 Preliminary Check notifications in 2022 and in addition, over 9,000 letters were issued where problems were identified. Preliminary Checks will commence again in June this year. Separately, from 2023 online applicants will benefit from Area Monitoring System checks affording farmers another opportunity to correct land errors without penalty up to 2 October 2023. This will enable many farmers to resolve issues at the dedicated Direct Payments helpdesks and at the National Ploughing Championships this year.
My Department has led in the development of a geo-tagged photograph application (app) for use on Smartphone and mobile devices. The app, known as AgriSnap, enables farmers and advisors/consultants to take geo-tagged photographs using their Smartphone and submit them securely to Department in an efficient and seamless manner. The introduction of AgriSnap will allow farmers and advisors to upload a geotagged photograph using a Smartphone in a secure and prompt manner. This will facilitate a faster turnaround of queries by the Department.
With the introduction of the new Eco scheme in 2023, my Department carried out the mapping of features for the new scheme and released them in September 2022 as “indicative estimates” to aid the 2023 application process in relation to Eco scheme Agricultural Practice 1 (Space for Nature). My Department also made available a farmers' stocking rate information in September 2022, to aid the 2023 application process in relation to Eco scheme Agricultural Practice 2 (Extensive Livestock Production).
A range of supports have been put in place during the application window for farmers to make their online applications in 2023, which include the in-person BISS Clinics offering one-to-one access to Department officials. Department officials are working with farmers throughout more than 25 locations around the country to ensure their 2023 applications are submitted correctly and on time. Other supports such as a dedicated online email address and a dedicated help desk telephone line supplemented by “how to” guides and videos are also in available to help farmers submit their applications. In the run up to the 29 May closing date, Department officials will also be follow-up with farmers and advisors, for example if applications are still in draft and not submitted.
