IFA Rural Development Chair John Curran has called on Minister Martin Heydon to allocate all resources necessary to deliver a fully functional Agricultural Appeals mechanism for farmers.

Speaking after the recent publication of the 2025 Annual Report of the Agricultural Appeals Office (AAO), he said: “It’s positive that the number of appeal cases has fallen way back and shows many of the preemptive checks are working well.

“But there are many elements highlighted within this report that are concerning and would make you question how much priority is being afforded to having a fully-functional Appeals mechanism for farmers.

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“And that’s exactly what’s needed given on one side the complexity and increased scrutiny governing farm schemes and payments; and on the other the fundamental importance of these schemes to farm viability and the huge stress and pressure it places on farm families when involved in these appeal cases.”

“There has been no Director of Agricultural Appeals announced since the vacancy created early this year. We have fewer Appeals Officers on the ground. We have DAFM [Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine] return of necessary information for many of the main farm schemes falling outside target timelines to even commence investigations.

Promised

“I accept there can be complex cases and legal issues at play, but we are talking averages here.

“It looks like only about 20% of cases (98 of 488) appear to hit their target timelines. We were promised the Independent Panel would be in place in early 2025 but it still hasn’t landed, nor does it appear there is a definitive timeline for when it will be operational.”

“That’s just not good enough, on multiple fronts, and I don’t in any way wish to belittle or question the hard work or integrity of existing AAO staff, but farmers need and deserve a fully functional and properly-resourced Agricultural Appeals mechanism. Anything less is just unacceptable in today’s world.”

Common sense

Curran added that common sense could also reduce the number of cases that reach the AAO to begin with.

“We need independent eyes and those with practical knowledge of farming looking over cases to deliver fairness and impartial outcomes,” he said. “There needs to be a bit more common sense applied here too in individual cases, before it even gets to the AAO.

“We all know certain rules have to apply, but there doesn’t appear to be any regard for a genuine mistake,” he said.

“This has to change, because the penalties are just so severe.”

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