On-the-spot checks could be reduced by up to 80%, with new preliminary checks speeding up payments to farmers in 2016.

They were two of the simplifications measures announced by EU Commissioner for Agriculture Phil Hogan at the Council of Ministers earlier this week. While full details as to how countries can reduce inspections are to be confirmed, if fully implemented in Ireland, land eligibility inspections could be dropped from the current level of 6,500 a year to 1,300. This can only be done if member states have updated their Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS) within the last three years and overall error rates are below 2%. Ireland has updated its LPIS but would need to continually review it to ensure the number of inspection can remain at the reduced levels.

This preventive preliminary check could easily be introduced in early 2016 and would help farmers as part of the application process. This should allow the Department to actively identify problems with farmers’ applications so that, even up to 35 days after the final date of submission, farmers will be allowed to make corrections without the application of any penalties.

The Commissioner said that by identifying errors early in the process, we should be able to reduce the risk of penalties and reductions of payments for farmers. The biggest benefit could be achieved if nearly 100% of farmers applied online, something the Department will continue to push for.

Reduce penalties

These two measures also would speed up payments and reduce penalties to farmers. The latest payments show 113,000 farmers have been paid €714m.

IFA deputy president Tim O’Leary said the Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney must intervene to ensure that the progress on payments is stepped up as there are still almost 7,000 farmers due a basic payment advance.

Speaking following a meeting of the Charter Review Committee, O’Leary said that payments are continuing to be made but that the key thing now is to ensure that on 1 December, when the next payment is due, the vast majority of cases are cleared.