Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed has dismissed farmers’ claims of alleged misconduct by some Department officials. Figures released this week by the Office of the Ombudsman show the Department of Agriculture accounted for the second highest number of complaints across a range of issues among civil service agencies for the past two years.

Responding to recent allegations against two inspectors in the Irish Farmers Journal, Minister Creed’s office stated that “until such complaints are made known to the Department, there is no basis on which to investigate”.

This is despite documents seen by this newspaper confirming complaints lodged with the Department against the two inspectors over a period of time, with support from established farm organisations.

Additional farmers have told the Irish Farmers Journal they had not formally complained about their own experience of inspectors for fear of reprisals or because they did not believe they would obtain redress. However, this newspaper’s investigation of four known formal complaints revealed information from different sources supporting the allegations.

Farmers who spoke with the Irish Farmers Journal did not necessarily oppose penalties received during inspections and said they had good relations with most Department staff. However, they highlighted breaches by specific individuals of the Charter of Farmer Rights and the Civil Service Code of Standards and Behaviour, which states that civil servants should “show due consideration and respect for the public” and “courtesy”.

The minister’s office has said any farmer who feels an official falls short of these standards should lodge a customer complaint, which the Department’s quality service unit will manage “in a way that is fair, non-recriminatory, respectful and impartial”.

Farmers appear to be increasingly frustrated by the resolution of inspection disputes with the Department and have lodged a growing number of appeals with the agricultural appeals 0ffice in the past two years.