Call for farm inspections to be taken from Dept. of Agriculture
THE Dept. of Agriculture has been accused by a West of Ireland Labour Senator of a savage increase in farm penalties aimed at bringing about savings for the Dept. of Finance.
Senator Lorraine Higgins said that an estimated 500% hike in penalties for 2012 simply did not make any sense, adding that farmers ‘hadn’t become vandals’ overnight.
She said that the time had come for Minister for Agriculture, Simon Coveney, to explain publicly why this ‘sky rocket’ increase in penalties had occurred.
"Farmers haven’t just become vandals as the level of penalties for 2012 asserts. They are creatures of habit and use the same practices and techniques, so to see penalties sky rocket like they have, does not make sense.
“I’d hate to think the increase in penalties, which is grossly estimated at 500%, is an attempt at targeteds savings by the Department. Farmers need to be safe in the knowledge that they won’t face further hits during the inspection period for the remainder of 2013,” said Senator Higgins.
She said that the time had come to make the farm inspection process an independent one and to take it out of the direct control of the Dept. of Agriculture.
“I am also calling on the Minister to make the inspection process fully independent from his Department. It is imperative that a separate independent body, free from the shackles of the Department carries out these inspections.
“As things stand these inspectors are exercising quasi-judicial functions and are imposing penalties without any recourse to natural or constitutional justice or fair procedures and as a Government we should not tolerate this.
"I have had many constituents complain to me that the rules pertaining to inspections are very often flouted by the Department's inspectors and on many occasions in the past I have expressed reservations as to the procedure for carrying out farm inspections on the floor of the Seanad.
“Given that 35% of all those inspected last year have had reductions to their Single Farm Payments totalling €2.6 million, my fears are well-founded. Indeed one third of farmers inspected under the nitrates regulations were reduced and one fifth of all farmers inspected under the land eligibility scheme were also penalised,” said Senator Higgins.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.