Vol. 554 No. 5
320 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food his plans to reform the penalty system currently applied by his officials in relation to premia paid by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16196/02]
I raised the question of simplification of the penalty regime at the Council of Ministers meeting in October 2000. A working group was subsequently established to examine appropriate changes to the control requirements with a view to ensuring a greater degree of simplification and proportionality. That examination was concluded in November 2001 and a new regulation was published in December 2001 which was effective from 1 January 2002.
The following changes have been introduced: a farm-based approach to bovine livestock inspections leading to a reduction of over 50% in the number of on-farm inspections; reduced penalties for late lodgement of an area aid application involving permanent pasture; a producer may lodge an application up to 1 July with 0.5% percent penalty per working day late after the closing date; no penalty for overdeclaration of forage area where there is sufficient area to support the stocking density for the livestock schemes concerned; non-compliance with passports or bovine herd register is not penalised at a first inspection and only has the effect of flagging the herd for a second inspection within 24 months; the concept of false declaration through serious negligence has been abolished; and a fairer approach to adjusting payments has been introduced where there is non-compliance.
