Low literacy levels pose difficulties for citizens in accessing information on and availing of their entitlements. This problem is not unique to the schemes operated by my Department. I and the staff of my Department are aware that low levels of literacy may pose an obstacle to some farmers in establishing the precise requirements of some schemes, but I am not aware that literacy contributes to the occurrence of disallowances or penalties. The matter is being kept under review and if particular initiatives can be identified to assist in this area, which will not compromise financial probity in disbursement of public funds, I will take the necessary action.
Analysis of disallowances and penalties incurred over the past four years has shown that the single biggest factor giving rise to penalties is the late submission of applications. The percentage of penalties arising from late submission of applications over this period has ranged from 63.7%, which is 1.4% of total applications, to 79.3%, which is 2.0% of total applications. My Department has been actively involved in recent years in simplifying, as far as possible, the application forms used in connection with the various schemes for direct payments to farmers. Help sheets and checklists, which set out the main requirements in simple straightforward terms, are also provided to assist in correct completion of application forms. The simplified documentation should be of particular benefit to those with literacy problems.
The application forms and information leaflets are reviewed annually prior to issue in consultation with the main farming organisations. This has been done under the auspices of the Charter of Rights for Farmers Review Group and will continue to be done, as committed to in my Department's customer service action plan. In the past, reviews have concentrated on simplifying the forms and reducing to a minimum the amount of information required to support an application. Particular attention is paid to matters that gave rise to a significant level of errors or confusions in the previous years applications.
Officials of my Department are becoming increasingly involved in participating in information meetings and seminars around the country, in conjunction with the farming organisations, to improve farmer awareness and understanding of scheme requirements.
Additional Information
This process will be continued and a series of public information meetings to explain the detailed changes arising from the Agenda 2000 package and to answer farmers questions are planned in conjunction with Teagasc, commencing in January. Full details of these meetings will be published in the national and local media. I urge any farmer with literacy difficulties to avail of this opportunity to hear the changes explained and clarified.
Teagasc has the important remit of providing advisory, educational and training services to farmers and I again urge farmers to use this facility if they have difficulty in understanding the scheme requirements or selecting the options to maximise their entitlements. It is my intention to explore the possibility of Teagasc taking a more active role in advising farmers on scheme requirements.
I remind any farmers who have difficulty in understanding the requirements of a scheme or in completing an application form that assistance and advice is available from the local offices of my Department. If a farmer needs assistance or clarification of the requirements of a scheme, he or she should not hesitate about contacting their local office where the officials will be only too happy to assist and advise them.