Retrospective penalties on land mapping are unfair, claims MEP

It is unfair for the State to apply equally stiff penalties to rates of 3% and 20% in land eligibility overclaims, according to Fine Gael MEP Sean Kelly.

He said the Department of Agriculture has room to reassess the proportionality of error rates and is calling for a swift resolution to problems arising from the new satellite mapping system to assess land eligibility for farm payments.

He said the system has causing hardship for farmers. “I have written to [Agriculture Minister Simon] Coveney asking him to take on board my proposals to address the issue,” Mr Kelly said.