SDLP MLA Joe Byrne has criticised the Agriculture
Minister Michelle O’Neill for mistakes in new maps for farmers to ensure they
meet EU compliance standards.
Mr Byrne,
who sits on the Assembly’s Agriculture Committee said;
“This
latest fiasco is further evidence of DARD’s incompetence, and can be added to
the growing list of issues which they have handled badly or failed to address.
“The new
maps, which cost over £20 million to ensure that EU standards are met, contain
costly mistakes, and serve to further complicate matters, rather than improve
them. This is the second set of aerial photo maps that the department have
produced, and this is the second time they have wasted public money through
failure to ensure that the maps are fit for purpose; indeed, many farmers have
told me that the older maps were in fact better than the most recent attempts.
I have been speaking to several farmers who are angry and frustrated at this
latest development, and have told me that the photos used by the department are
as much as five years out of date.
“Whilst
we should be looking to integrate a technological approach to the
administration of farming grants, mistakes of this magnitude are simply not
acceptable, and I would call on the Minister to address this issue without
further delay.”
No comments:
Post a Comment