Gerald Sheehan, Burnfort, Mallow, Co Cork

DEAR SIR:

I would like to thank Amy McShane for highlighting the terrible treatment handed down to the poor farm family who planted the wrong trees. I know exactly what they have gone through at the hands of our Department of Agriculture.

Can you imagine the uproar if a Garda sergeant or a teacher were fired for such a trivial mistake. Not one word from any politician or farm organisation. Isn’t it so sad?

This nonsense must stop now and we as farmers must stand together and fight these draconian actions once and for all.

The appeals system is rotten to the core and firmly stacked on the side of the Department. After failing at this ridiculous option, you may if you happen to have €50,000 or so stuck in your pocket try the High Court, but only on a point of law.

One very brave Co Tipperary farmer did this and a High Court judge found that the Department was treating farmers very unfairly, had scant regards for farmers’ rights and had ignored their own and EU regulations. Surely this is a damming indictment in itself. Minister Creed has appealed this judgement to the Appeals Court and after a lot of enquiries, the Department has confirmed to me that at this stage it has not even lodged its legal submissions to the Court of Appeal.

What a mess. Can you imagine when this case will be listed or heard?

We, as farmers, must be given the right to bypass the ridiculous appeals system and go straight to the district or circuit courts where we will be assured of getting fair play and justice at a minimal cost. This would quickly put a halt to Department nonsense.

I would like to hear from any farmer that is interested in fighting for these rights.