Dairy farmer Gillian O’Sullivan was highly critical of the administrative capabilities of the Department of Agriculture during her presentation at the Teagasc National Agri-Environment Conference last week.
“We’re always living in fear,” she told the crowd, outlining the “administrative hair-splitting” that continually frustrates her.
She said she received an overclaim notification in September and promptly replied using the Department’s online system, but is still waiting for a response.
Figures obtained by Fianna Fáil’s Charlie McConalogue show 3,425 farmers subject to a satellite inspection are yet to be paid.
O’Sullivan pointed out that the overclaim was in regard to a “miniscule” parcel of land that looked like a passage rather than a field on her BPS map.
She expressed the fear and frustration she felt that the Department’s slow response time in getting back to her could delay her entire BPS payment.
Tough HSE inspections on the way
Half of farmers subject to satellite inspection awaiting payment