Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 31 March 2015
178. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the teething problems relating to the green low-carbon agri-environment scheme, in which the computer system has been causing problems for farm planners, has been resolved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12752/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe GLAS online system is a very powerful computer system which maps each and every land parcel in the country, identifying the particular environmental attributes present which must be protected, and the actions which are available for selection on the particular farm under GLAS. The system also provides Advisors with the tools to prepare detailed and accurate farm-plans for their clients.
Issues always emerge when any new system is first launched into the live environment, particularly an environment with large numbers of clients and literally tens of thousands of potential variables across the farms being planned. My Department has been responding to these systematically, and has already delivered updated data to the system and new tools for the user. Overall, the response to the new system has been very positive, and all recognise the enormous step forward it represents. My Department maintains close contact with the advisors and their representatives, who were closely involved in user-testing the system before roll-out, and we will continue to listen and to improve and adapt the system. There will, of course, be a learning curve for users as well and as these become more familiar with the system, and with what is allowed under GLAS itself. Already we have seen a rapid acceleration in the preparation of applications online. As things stand, 9,119 new applications have already been created on the new system, which is a tremendous achievement by all concerned.
