Flexibility on scheme application errors sought

Department in talks with EU over relaxing rules for minor mistakes

The Department of Agriculture is in discussions with the European Commission around the possibility of some flexibility in relation to accidental and minor errors in scheme applications.

Ag consultants are being asked to provide possible solutions around the rejection of applications to schemes for accidental errors.

Consultants at the ACA AGM raised issues with the Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue and Department officials surrounding strict deadlines and penalties in the event of applications encountering “obvious simple errors” or missing necessary documents.

One consultant said errors were impacting some consultants being able to get professional indemnity insurance because of claims against them when they make a mistake.

Thomas Harty, Principal Land Eligibility and Audits with the Department of Agriculture, said the huge volume of schemes means deadlines are sometimes unavoidable, but the Department is in discussions with the European Commission around errors on scheme applications and what flexibility could be put in place to address them.

“One of the things frustrating farmers is obvious errors,” he said. People make mistakes but the Department is “hamstrung” by regulations.

He warned that it’s difficult to determine a structure around the level of mistakes and errors that could be catered for and in what timeframe.

“Where is the line? What is an acceptable number? How long after the fact is OK?” added Mr Harty.

He said the frustration for advisors when mistakes happen is “completely understandable” and is a topic on the minister’s desk, but said he could not give any guarantees of a solution.

Evidence

Some common issues in recent scheme applications include a lack of evidence around commonage rights on firsttime applications and partnerships that are not correctly structured, according to Mr Harty.

On the transfer of entitlements, one issue that arose was certain peace commissioners did not have a stamp and advised they can print their name in the box instead.

112 farmers who failed to support valued documents for their 2023 Nitrates Derogation applications have been written to and given two weeks to supply them.

This, the minister told the ACA conference, should reduce the number of farmers rejected from Derogation due to administrative issues.