Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 May 2010
223 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the number of person employed to process entitlements payments (details supplied) in schemes or agencies under his remit. [20821/10]
Amharc ar fhreagra224 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the number of persons employed to carry out inspections (details supplied) in schemes or agencies under his remit. [20829/10]
Amharc ar fhreagra226 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the number of persons primarily employed in the issuing of licences (details supplied) in agencies or schemes under his remit. [20846/10]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 223, 224 and 226 together.
A total of 221 officials are employed to process applications under the Single Payment Scheme, Single Payment entitlements, CAP Rural Development Scheme, the Bio Energy Scheme, Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, Upland Sheep Payment, Sugar Diversification Fund, Sugar Restructuring Fund, Protein Aid, Grassland Sheep Scheme, Dairy Efficiency Programme, Dairy Hardship Fund, Burren Farming for Conservation Scheme, the once off Aid for Damaged Fodder and Aid for Frost Damaged Crops Schemes and the maintenance of the Land Parcel Identification System.
In general the number of persons involved in the issuing of licences is determined by the type and complexity of the application submitted by the applicant. In many cases staff are not primarily involved in the issuing of licences as a sole activity. As a result this reply is based on full time equivalent staff that are necessary to issue the licences over a twelve month period. Other than those issued by State Bodies, the number of officials involved in issuing licences is 66.
There are 273.2 Veterinary Inspectors, 194 Agricultural Inspectors, 488 Technical Agricultural Officer and 36 Forestry Inspectors employed by my Department. The numbers quoted are full time equivalents. These inspectors are involved in a range of activities including the inspections referred to by the Deputy.
The operational work of State Bodies is a matter for the Bodies themselves.
