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.