Farmers submitted more appeals over the Beef Exceptional Aid Measure (BEAM) and the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) last year than any other schemes administered by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), according to a new report.
The Agriculture Appeals Office (AAO) received 122 in relation to BEAM and 122 in relation BPS from farmers who were “dissatisified” with decisions made by DAFM.
In contrast there were 12 appeals in relation to the Pig Exceptional Payment Scheme (PEPS) and a further 12 over the Young Farmers Scheme (YFS).
The highest number of appeals received by the AAO last year came from Co. Galway, according to its 2022 annual report.
A total of 69 were received from farmers in Co. Galway by the office whose key role is to provide “a fair and efficient appeals service” to applicants of schemes administered by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).
Any farmer who is “dissatisified” with decision made by DAFM in relation to their entitlement under various schemes may submit an appeal to the office and also submit it to the Office of the Ombudsman.
The AAO, which also provides administrative and secretariat support to the Forestry Appeals Committee, received 635 agriculture appeals in 2022, which was a 22% decrease on the number received in 2021, which totaled 809.
During 2022 466 oral hearings were heard around around the country, chiefly in Teagasc offices, compared to 282 oral hearings a year earlier.
According to the AAO it closed 930 cases in 2022 out of these cases 44% of appeals were “allowed, partially allowed”, 40% of appeals were disallowed and 16% of appeals were withdrawn, invalid, or received after the 3-month deadline.
The highest number of were received last year from Co. Galway – with 69 submitted from farmers in the county, next was Co. Mayo where farmers submitted a total of 66, while farmers in Co. Dublin submitted the fewest in 2022.
According to the AAO there were a total of 153 cases revised by DAFM in favour of farmers who made submissions to the office last year.
Subsequently more decisions were revised by DAFM in relation to the Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP) and Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) scheme than any other scheme.
The scheme with the highest number that were allowed (58) or partially allowed (15) was the BPS.
