Farmer who wanted grant for outhouse had to complete 32 forms
The farmer who had to build a paper mountain before he put a brick on a brick had his case highlighted in Dáil Eireann by Dinny McGinley, TD (FG), who said that in 1973 an applicant needed to fill out only one form.
He said forms are terrifying for most farmers, particularly in the west of Ireland.
Many farmers there were in their 60s or older, and did not understand the forms. They were not user friendly, said Deputy McGinley, who asked Agriculture Minister Joe Walsh how could he expect the farming community to vote for the Nice Treaty when faced by problems emanating from Brussels.
“With one slip of the pen, a farmer may be penalised for life.”
Deputy Seymour Crawford (FG) said farmers have to employ a consultant to apply for an ordinary farm building grant.
“You can build a house anywhere in the country, but for a farm building you have to employ a consultant. It is bureaucracy gone mad”.
Fine Gael agriculture spokesperson Billy Timmins suggested a cut-off point of 5,000, below which recipients of direct payments would be freed of red tape.
Minister Walsh accepted there is a certain amount of bureaucracy and red tape and that there is much disquiet, complaint and vexation about this.
He said e1.4 billion is spent on payments to farmers throughout the country, making up approximately 56% of their income.
There was a requirement for accountability, but one did not want to overdo it.
Minister Walsh said there are regular meetings with farming organisations on payment protocols. Simplification of the payments will continue.
Regarding the suggestion that smaller farmers could make applications without having to go through so much red tape, he said there is such a requirement, but the EU imposed so many conditions that many farmers did not respond.
Deputy Willie Penrose (Lab) called for an office in each county specifically to deal with farmers at a pre-application level, to ensure forms are correctly filled.
Minister Walsh said the Department and Teagasc go out of their way to help. Feedback from recent meetings was being assessed, and the most serious complaints addressed.
