Office receives 1,143 appeals

Ireland: A total of 1,143 appeals were received by the new Agricultural Appeals Office in 2003, the first full year of operations, according to its annual report published yesterday.

The independent agency was set up in May 2002 as an appeals service to farmers unhappy with Department of Agriculture and Food decisions under certain schemes.

Agriculture Minister Joe Walsh said the number of appeals indicated the low level of dissatisfaction among farmers in dealings with the department, which had over 600,000 scheme applications last year. Some 38% of these appeals were either successful or partially successful.

“One of the features of the office is the right of an appellant to an oral hearing. Some 58% of cases received in 2003 involved oral hearings,” said Mr Walsh.

However, Fine Gael’s TD Billy Timmins warned the efforts of the Appeals Office will be pointless if department officials keep repeating the same mistakes in dealing with farmers complaints.

He said he welcomed the report, not least, because it will give farmers greater confidence in their ability to successfully appeal their cases in situations.

For those who are unsuccessful in their appeals the office provides advice, preventing farmers making similar mistakes in funding applications.

Mr Timmins said the purpose of the Appeals Office is as much to educate department officials to improve the conduct of their relations with farmers as it is to ensure that farmers who are not happy with their treatment have an independent outlet to air their grievances.