Those interested in sitting on Northern Ireland’s new Independent Panel must submit an application by this Friday, March 4. Late applications will only be accepted in exceptional circumstances.
This new panel will be appointed to review area-based farm support appeals, according to agriculture minister, Edwin Poots.
And, in contrast to the situation that has existed up to now, new legislation gives final decision making powers to the soon-to–be-appointed panels.
Minister Poots said: “This new legislation will mean that the independent panel will have the final decision on review cases which it hears.
“This ensures that where farmers have asked for a review of a decision about, e.g., their basic payment or the environmental farming scheme, they have the opportunity to present their case to an independent panel.
“My department [Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs/DAERA] will be recruiting chairs and members for the review of decisions independent panels in the coming weeks.”
Independent panel
The minister said that applications for chairperson and member positions are being welcomed from people who meet the criteria and who are willing to sit on the panels.
“Chairpersons of the independent panels will require legal experience, while panel members will require agricultural experience,” said Poots.
Meanwhile, DAERA has confirmed that the independent panels will consider cases which are referred to it through the department’s review of decision procedure.
A spokesperson for DAERA added: “Applicants who feel that DAERA decision makers did not reach the correct decision in respect of their area-based scheme application have access to the Review of Decisions procedure.
“This procedure is an opportunity for applicants to explain and demonstrate how they feel they have met the requirements of the relevant scheme and why the department’s initial decision should be changed.”
It is envisaged that he initial case officer review stage will be conducted by a member of DAERA staff who was not involved in making the decision in question.
“Should the applicant remain unsatisfied at the conclusion of this stage they may, within 60 days of receipt of the initial determination, apply for the Review of Decisions Independent Panel to review their case,” the DAERA spokesperson added.
Significantly, the panels will not be asked to consider cases outside of the review of decision procedures, nor will the panel consider historic cases where a decision has already been taken.
This latter point will not find favour with a significant grouping of farmers.
Recent years have seen DAERA challenged publicly and in the courts regarding the effectiveness of the panel review systems that had been in place up to this point.