asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when the number of field staff in Waterford will be increased in order that applications for headage grants can be dealt with.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Headage Grants.
5.
I am hopeful that the number of field staff on headage work in Waterford can be increased to the required level shortly.
I would like to ask the Minister what he means by shortly because I have been getting replies to Dáil questions for months past and they always say that delayed payments are due to the fact that there is a shortage of field staff. One Dáil question which I put down two months ago indicated that payment would be made very shortly. Yet as late as last week the person involved told me that he had received no payment. I had to put down a second Dáil question on the very same item, which is a dreadful state of affairs. The system of payment in County Waterford is such a patchwork system that it is totally unsatisfactory. Could the Minister please indicate how soon the situation can be rectified? Will it be days, weeks or months?
The Deputy will appreciate from his former ministerial experience that there were procedures in the Department of the Public Service who are now involved with the Department of Finance and this matter is being addressed as a matter of urgency. There is, as it happens, a particularly acute problem in County Waterford. I acknowledge that. If I do not put days or weeks on it I think the Deputy will accept that is not an indication of any lack of intention on my part. I assure the Deputy we are attaching the greatest urgency to this and as soon as I get clearance this will be done. The Deputy knows it is not always in my hands.
Will the Minister inform me when something is done?
Of course I will.