The Office of the Ombudsman received 77 complaints about the Department of Agriculture in 2021, its annual report revealed.

The report shows the case of a man, referred to as Jim, who received €1,000 from the Department of Agriculture after he complained about the Fallen Animal Subsidy Scheme.

Jim said that his animal collection business was unfairly impacted by a new condition in the scheme that limited the distance that material could be carried.

Jim was aware of a cheaper renderer but it was located just outside the 125km limit.

The ombudsman said his business was “unfairly restricted by travel limit”.

The Department reviewed Jim’s request and granted an exemption from the 125km limit along with €1,000 in acknowledgement of the time and trouble it had taken to resolve his complaint.