John Perry
Ceist:94 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food his plans to streamline farm inspections; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20175/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 6 July 2004
Ceisteanna (61)
Freagraí ó Béal (5 píosaí cainte)
It is necessary to simplify the on-farm checks as much as possible, consistent with a system that will be acceptable to the European Commission. Consultation will take place on this with all interested parties before 1 January 2005. I intend that individual farmers will be informed about the minimum standards they will be expected to meet under the various directives, including the requirement to keep land in good agricultural and environmental condition. Under EU regulations governing the single payment scheme farmers are obliged to observe good farming practice and environmental conditions. A single inspection will replace the inspections to check compliance with the various premium schemes in place. A minimum of 5% of farmers will be subject to on-farm checks for eligibility of the land declared. The inspection approach to these checks will be similar to the annual area aid inspections carried out hitherto and some of these will be carried out by remote sensing.
Farmers in receipt of the single payment scheme are also obliged to comply with the statutory management requirements in environment, identification and registration of animals, public, animal and plant health and animal welfare. It will be necessary to inspect 1% of farmers for compliance with statutory management requirements, except for identification and registration of animals where 5% of applicants must be inspected. My Department is drawing up an integrated control system for cross-compliance. My policy is to limit the number of on-farm checks to the minimum while ensuring that the interests of the EU taxpayer are protected. It is difficult to estimate the precise number of inspections overall but there will be a significant reduction in the number of on-farm checks.
The Minister has already dealt with this issue but when does he expect that an inspector would furnish a report or make a decision after an on-farm inspection? Is it fair that someone should wait for several months without receiving the result of an inspection? What is the Minister's attitude to that sort of laxity?
I want a simple system consistent with audit requirements and by which people would if possible receive a few days' notice of the inspector's call. The result of the inspection should be furnished as quickly as possible thereafter. If there is a problem caused by a deliberate action a penalty would be imposed but an innocent error such as the loss of a tag should be rectified as soon as possible. The independent appeals office deals expeditiously and humanely with farmers at oral hearings where it provides them with assistance. I expect that to continue as part of a sensible approach to the matter.
How will the 5% to be inspected be nominated? Does a system exist? Will the selection be made on a county by county basis? Will a person inspected this year be taken out of the loop for a certain number of years or what process will apply?
It is a fairly arbitrary process and would be difficult to organise scientifically. If a person who has been inspected became complacent for three or four years it would not be very effective but equally it is not desirable to carry out frequent re-inspections. We need to approach the matter sensibly. A sample check with a reasonable geographic spread should continue to be the basis for the selection. The criterion should be that the EU auditors, the Oireachtas Committee of Public Accounts and the Comptroller and Auditor General are satisfied with the system.