Government urged to rethink costly farm inspections system

TAXPAYERS are picking up the tab for costly farm inspections, when the original graded penalty system was cheaper and more effective to run, according to ICMSA deputy president John Comer.

The milk body deputy said it was madness that each farm inspection should cost the taxpayer €1,800 to verify a Single Farm Payment worth about €7,500 to €8,000 per annum to the farmer.

Mr Comer said: “Nothing illustrates the kind of mixed-up confusion that we have gotten ourselves into than the absurd cost of this bureaucracy.