€1,800 inspection bill defended

AGRICULTURE Minister Brendan Smith has defended a €1,800 per inspection bill for farm inspections by his officials.

The Comptroller and Auditor General has estimated that the total cost of the farm inspection service in 2009 was €15.8 million, including direct salary, overheads, imputed pension costs, and travel and subsistence. This covered the cost of all 152 staff in the Integrated Control Division (ICD), and works out at €1,800 per inspection.

Mr Smith said €15.8m includes supervisory and back-up administrative staff, along with 90 technical agricultural officers who carried out the inspections, and full salaries plus 40% for overheads and 13% for pensions.