No accountability

foxylock

Evening all.

As you know DAS was paid the last week of September, first half of SFP was paid mid October and next week the balance of SFP and sheep grassland payment are due to start rolling again. Everyone acknowledges the fact that these payments are critical to support farmers in vulnerable sectors and it is imperative that farmers are paid in full and on time.

Unfortunately this is not the case, thousands of farming families are left between a rock and a hard place and with the run up to Christmas this uncertainty will bring unbearable pressure.

The issue is satellite inspections, thousands of files still remain unprocessed and a definitive payment date cannot be given. Earlier in the year civil servants had their pay held up for a day and they were ready to take to the streets, but when its farmers.......

The mapping section who are in part responsible for this fiasco cannot be contacted and refuse to interact with farmers. I find this totally unacceptable and downright insulting.

All my payments have been withheld due to an area of scrub less than half an acre which I have already removed. And I am not alone. I have yet to receive any correspondence by post, my information comes from my now weekly calls to the helpline. My frustration grows daily, today I was informed the mapping section are conducting an internal review and no files will be processed this week!! This I find grossly depressing, the contempt is unbelievable. Still I am refused the right to speak with the person who holds my immediate financial future in his/her hands.

The bills are mounting I won't list them we're all in the same boat. But I'm tired, tired of asking for more time to pay, tired of being made to feel like a beggar, tired of the constant ringing , getting the same old story. If my LPT was unpaid they would take the money but yet the farmers can wait ......indefinitely.

We can't wait much longer, something needs to be done, how long before this affects the mental health of our farmers, if it hasn't already, we are under enough stress in this occupation without this unnecessary financial strain adding to it.

Week after week I listen to hollow tokenism from ministers and highly paid civil servants sitting comfortably and growing fat off our hard work! I don't know about you lads but I'm sick of it!!

I hope these lads wake up before its too late.

greysides

Is there a relevant ombudsman?

Justjens

Feel your pain.

I'm still dealing with the cuts imposed on my 2013 SFP, those bullocks's in Kildare St. think they are above accountability.

Last correspondence I had with the one looking after my appeal told me he had been away for four weeks and was looking for sympathy that there was now a lot of work ahead of him.

Don't let them wear you down...........

the_syco

http://www.farmersjournal.ie/560m-sfp-payment-on-track-for-1-december-169525/

The Department of Agriculture is preparing to pay out €560 million in the balance of single farm payments. However one in ten farmers will suffer a clawback due to ineligibility issues.

I wonder if the "ineligibility" bad handwriting, or 10% that the department didn't get around to doing?

Birdnuts

The Dept appears determined to drive as many small to medium farmers out of the industry as possible. Its clear the agenda is firmly in favour of the big players in agri-business and is likely to severely damage large parts of rural Ireland economically, socially, environmentally etc.

Farmer

You've written a great post there. I suggest you forward it (on all our behalf's) to George Lee and a few good independent TDs to have it raised in Dail question time

Below is Simons answer to Tom Fleming almost a year ago where he more or less conceded that he sacrificed us for the greater good. Near the end he says "If anybody has any suggestion as to how we can be more helpful to farmers, I am all ears" One year on, it's. time to put him to the test

https://www.kildarestreet.com/debates/?id=2013-12-12a.49&m=1050

whelan2

could you go to the sfp offices in Portlaoise and say you are not leaving until your file is cleared for payment

frazzledhome

OP,
I am in exactly the same boat. The difference is that ours is held in the Transfer section.

This building is closed to the public and to help even more the "Helpline" number has never been answered. I've managed to blah my way into the building on 2 occasions.

I was delivering a document. This document was included in my application. I'm an old hand at Sfp application so I include any and all back up information with my application. Having delivered the requested document I received a letter the following week requesting it again. They now have 3 copies of this document.

On gaining acess to the building on the 2 occasions I tried in vain to meet person dealing with my file. It transpires that the person in question and signing my letters hasn't been in work for 3 mths.

This is wholly unacceptable and leaving me and many others in a tough spot. I really don't know what my next step is. I'm not stuck for the money yet, but its my money and the people doling it out consider it theirs with absolute disregard for the community they serve

whelan2

frazzledhome wrote: »

OP,
I am in exactly the same boat. The difference is that ours is held in the Transfer section.

This building is closed to the public and to help even more the "Helpline" number has never been answered. I've managed to blah my way into the building on 2 occasions.

I was delivering a document. This document was included in my application. I'm an old hand at Sfp application so I include any and all back up information with my application. Having delivered the requested document I received a letter the following week requesting it again. They now have 3 copies of this document.

On gaining acess to the building on the 2 occasions I tried in vain to meet person dealing with my file. It transpires that the person in question and signing my letters hasn't been in work for 3 mths.

This is wholly unacceptable and leaving me and many others in a tough spot. I really don't know what my next step is. I'm not stuck for the money yet, but its my money and the people doling it out consider it theirs with absolute disregard for the community they serve

when you do leave in a document, get someone to sign that they received it. Hate this crap of not answering phones and duplicate letters looking for the same stuff, can alot of this stuff not be done on line, it adds to the stress level immensely

frazzledhome

whelan2 wrote: »

when you do leave in a document, get someone to sign that they received it. Hate this crap of not answering phones and duplicate letters looking for the same stuff, can alot of this stuff not be done on line, it adds to the stress level immensely

Sign for it, I was reminded the building is closed to the public. She refused to give a name claiming she wasn't dealing with my file. She then proceeded to tell me how over worked they were. All the while her colleagues were leaving for lunch as if there was a bomb scare. 12 midday it was and their lunch break starts at 12.30 and not back till 2pm enough time to go home and milk

whelan2

frazzledhome wrote: »

Sign for it, I was reminded the building is closed to the public. She refused to give a name claiming she wasn't dealing with my file. She then proceeded to tell me how over worked they were. All the while her colleagues were leaving for lunch as if there was a bomb scare. 12 midday it was and their lunch break starts at 12.30 and not back till 2pm enough time to go home and milk

wonder how they would react if their wages/payments where delayed. Its a joke

foxylock

During the payment hiccup that affected dept employees for about 36 hours provisions were made so they could present ID at their bank and withdraw up to €200 cash!! A luxury not being afforded to farmers.

There are so many cash strapped farming families out there at the moment unable to access their own money, it defies belief.

Our public representatives sitting comfy on fat salaries are too far removed from reality to understand our plight. While the civil servants see farmers as these shower of moaners who need to be buried under layers of red tape and beat down at every given opportunity. Once again we have managed to create a "them and us" scenario, completely incapable of moving agriculture forward.

More propaganda will be released in the Farmers Journal next week and the general public will be led to believe that Santy has called early to farmers. Meanwhile thousands of hard working families through no fault of their own face difficult decisions.

Has any minister ever had to choose between feeding his livelihood and feeding his children?

Nettleman

My suggestion is in this link, call them- and then threathen to go on Joe Duffy

http://www.ombudsman.gov.ie/en/

theaceofspies

foxylock wrote: »

During the payment hiccup that affected dept employees for about 36 hours provisions were made so they could present ID at their bank and withdraw up to €200 cash!! A luxury not being afforded to farmers.

There are so many cash strapped farming families out there at the moment unable to access their own money, it defies belief.

Our public representatives sitting comfy on fat salaries are too far removed from reality to understand our plight. While the civil servants see farmers as these shower of moaners who need to be buried under layers of red tape and beat down at every given opportunity. Once again we have managed to create a "them and us" scenario, completely incapable of moving agriculture forward.

More propaganda will be released in the Farmers Journal next week and the general public will be led to believe that Santy has called early to farmers. Meanwhile thousands of hard working families through no fault of their own face difficult decisions.

Has any minister ever had to choose between feeding his livelihood and feeding his children?

Been there and have the t-shirt and phone bills to show for it. It's soul destroying stuff and makes a total mockery of the "Farmers Chapter".
Just to let you know that you are not the only one in the boat. Keep hounding them and use the Ombudsman as well. Don't give up and remember that you have a vote at the next election - use it wisely.

Connemara Farmer

Birdnuts wrote: »

The Dept appears determined to drive as many small to medium farmers out of the industry as possible. Its clear the agenda is firmly in favour of the big players in agri-business and is likely to severely damage large parts of rural Ireland economically, socially, environmentally etc.

It's indicative of the mindset of elements within the Department, in positions of power. This thread reminds me of the, ironically titled, department "information meeting" in Maam Cross at the beginning of October.

To quote the Twitter account a firm of ag planners :

"yourcommonage.ie @yourcommonage · Oct 2
Poor show by the dept in Ma'am last night. Don't know how many times I heard "we don't care". Farmers were right to walk out."

So is treatment of farmers in relation to schemes or payment issues any great surprise anymore?

lakill Farm

frazzledhome wrote: »

Sign for it, I was reminded the building is closed to the public. She refused to give a name claiming she wasn't dealing with my file. She then proceeded to tell me how over worked they were. All the while her colleagues were leaving for lunch as if there was a bomb scare. 12 midday it was and their lunch break starts at 12.30 and not back till 2pm enough time to go home and milk

you should ask our buddy on twitter

The Cuban

Prime time a few weeks ago covered cattle rustling, they interviewed a right awl battle axe b1tch from the dept of ag. Thats they type of dept official we have to deal with, you can see the uninterest in her

5live

frazzledhome wrote: »

OP,
I am in exactly the same boat. The difference is that ours is held in the Transfer section.

This building is closed to the public and to help even more the "Helpline" number has never been answered. I've managed to blah my way into the building on 2 occasions.

I was delivering a document. This document was included in my application. I'm an old hand at Sfp application so I include any and all back up information with my application. Having delivered the requested document I received a letter the following week requesting it again. They now have 3 copies of this document.

On gaining acess to the building on the 2 occasions I tried in vain to meet person dealing with my file. It transpires that the person in question and signing my letters hasn't been in work for 3 mths.

This is wholly unacceptable and leaving me and many others in a tough spot. I really don't know what my next step is. I'm not stuck for the money yet, but its my money and the people doling it out consider it theirs with absolute disregard for the community they serve

I had something similar happen a few years back and was getting nowhere with those i was talking to.

I header into my local office before lunch and told them my story and said i would be back at 4 and wasn't going home till i got my cards.

I arrived in at 4 and asked for my cards and they were still 'being processed'.

So i said again i am not leaving till i got them, went over to the seats and took out a bottle of water, a few sandwiches, a blanket and the Journal and settled in. At 4.30 i was told they were locking up at 5, Grand so , i said, will i have my cards by then? No, i was told so i settled in again. At 5 i was told to leave as they would call the guards so i told them they could use my phone if they wanted but i was calling the IFA and the local paper after but i was not leaving till i got my cards.

At 5.05, a very disgruntled woman arrived out with my cards and i thanked her cheerily and asked if she fancied a sandwich. I wish i had a camera phone for the look on her face:D.

Moral of the story, threaten a sit-in but give them plenty of notice so they can get up off their ar$es and actually do the job they are paid to do!

Timmaay

Same issue back when I setup the partnership, no change to our sfp application aside from a minor name change, took months and months of chasing, alongside delayed payment, with zero effort made from the department to communicate the problems, I was just left in the dark with the big hole in cash flow. I was thankfully able to plug it by other means, but since then I don't ever take the SFP for granted. How can you plan forward in any sort of business if you are depending on a payment that is a pure lottery as to if you will get it.

What's the solution to this whole problem? Clearly the department either don't want to, or are totally incapable of processing this payment from Europe to the farmers, if this task was removed from them to an external organisation who are professional enough, what would the charge be, and how much of a better job would they do would be my questions I guess.

blue5000

OP, have a good read of the farmer's charter, it's on their website. Print it off if you can. Then when you get in to your local dvo start quoting it. There badly needs to be an independent appeals system for this sort of thing, to go to ombudsman you first have to make a complaint to dept of ag.

frazzledhome

5live wrote: »

I had something similar happen a few years back and was getting nowhere with those i was talking to.

I header into my local office before lunch and told them my story and said i would be back at 4 and wasn't going home till i got my cards.

I arrived in at 4 and asked for my cards and they were still 'being processed'.

So i said again i am not leaving till i got them, went over to the seats and took out a bottle of water, a few sandwiches, a blanket and the Journal and settled in. At 4.30 i was told they were locking up at 5, Grand so , i said, will i have my cards by then? No, i was told so i settled in again. At 5 i was told to leave as they would call the guards so i told them they could use my phone if they wanted but i was calling the IFA and the local paper after but i was not leaving till i got my cards.

At 5.05, a very disgruntled woman arrived out with my cards and i thanked her cheerily and asked if she fancied a sandwich. I wish i had a camera phone for the look on her face:D.

Moral of the story, threaten a sit-in but give them plenty of notice so they can get up off their ar$es and actually do the job they are paid to do!

That's my next step if not paid by Fri. Milker out for minor procedure and I'm considering that course of action.

Only fear I have is an inspection backlash

blue5000

frazzledhome wrote: »

That's my next step if not paid by Fri. Milker out for minor procedure and I'm considering that course of action.

Only fear I have is an inspection backlash

That's the nub of the problem right there, we have to stand up to the cnuts, we're damned if we do and damned if we don't.

frazzledhome

blue5000 wrote: »

That's the nub of the problem right there, we have to stand up to the cnuts, we're damned if we do and damned if we don't.

We've had an inspection every year for one thing or another and farming in 2 counties means a second CoCo involved. No major incident though.

It's a savage stick to be able to hold over a whole industry. What bulls me is that this info is in their possession since April

I will say I have no problem with any other s of the dept inspectors included but that Transfer unit in Portlaoise beats all out

ihatewinter

I had the same problem with Portlaoise over DAS, no SFP. Anyway, a month of phoning and complaining by letter finally got through to them. They said I didn't submit documents to support my claim to commonage. I sent them in twice, still didn't realise that. Got on to the phone to them last week, threatened them with a solicitor.

I got a phone call within 5 minutes and they wanted to know what relation I was to the previous owner, (a grand uncle he was) and how I was related. I had to sent them in a written letter to back up my claim. Paid within 24 hours. Such utter ****e, as my grand uncle never claimed DAS, SFP or environmental schemes on the commonage.

That was on the Wednesday and got an livestock inspection on the Friday. Sneaky fecks, passed with flying colours as I had a feeling they might try it unexpectedly

Cow Porter

It's the instutionalised Irish civil service

Choose the Civil Service: http://youtu.be/-E99xe-uGq0

Filling Out A Form: http://youtu.be/JYcZc62Gf6w

5live

blue5000 wrote: »

That's the nub of the problem right there, we have to stand up to the cnuts, we're damned if we do and damned if we don't.

Ah here now.

That's very insulting to cnuts to put them on a level with the department.

lakill Farm

Lads all the civil servants in this country are the same , be they work for Dept of Agri, the local county council, the dept of Justice or the dept of Finance.

Most of them should get the P45, a shower of institutionalised pension suckers most of them. And they are always crying the poor mouth.

5live

frazzledhome wrote: »

That's my next step if not paid by Fri. Milker out for minor procedure and I'm considering that course of action.

Only fear I have is an inspection backlash

Yeah, the inspection threat is a hoor alright. Just make sure that you sit-in in the correct section. I would have no idea where the people dealing with some areas are based.

We can't protest against factories because it's anticompetitive.

We can't protest against the department because they will inspect the sh!!te out of us.

Next the Safety authority will insist on us wearing saddles so nobody can fall off while riding us.

lakill Farm

5live wrote: »

Next the Safety authority will insist on us wearing saddles so nobody can fall off while riding us.

One of the best lines I have ever read on here

Greengrass1

We had an acre of ground we cleared of trees and out into grass and cleaned back ditches and cut down trees.
Got sfp held up for 5 months because we started claiming on the ground we cleared and were now farming. Think it came to 15ac.
Advisor must have sent in forms and maps 10 times and they still wouldn't accept them.
Well low and behold the dept came out to inspect found everything in order so dad brought inspector down the field and showed him the ground where trees were and work we had done and he sorted our problems.

foxylock

5live wrote: »

Yeah, the inspection threat is a hoor alright. Just make sure that you sit-in in the correct section. I would have no idea where the people dealing with some areas are based.

We can't protest against factories because it's anticompetitive.

We can't protest against the department because they will inspect the sh!!te out of us.

Next the Safety authority will insist on us wearing saddles so nobody can fall off while riding us.

I haven't had a good laugh in weeks, you brought the house down here lad!! Thank you!

Farmer

lakill Farm wrote: »

Lads all the civil servants in this country are the same , be they work for Dept of Agri, the local county council, the dept of Justice or the dept of Finance.

Most of them should get the P45, a shower of institutionalised pension suckers most of them. And they are always crying the poor mouth.

It's a pity some of the people that are so ready to bash civil servants weren't smart enough to have nabbed one of them handy jobs when they were going.

Most are people we know, brothers, sisters, neighbours etc. I have always found the Agriculture people helpful. On this occasion, they have been swamped by the level of cross compliance checking, particularly resulting from Coveneys 2013 clampdown. Did I read somewhere that an external contractor was involved here? If so, your P45 laden civil servant above couldn't have done any worse a job of differentiating between scrub and shadow on an out of date satellite map. I've also read on another forum that appeals are running 18 months behind schedule and this is obviously impacting on everything.

These decisions were made at the top, to make a problem go away on a particular day, without any regard for their impact on peoples lives or indeed the lives of those who have to implement them or take the backlash. It's up to us to apply the backlash to the guys who made the decisions rather than the front line staff

Use the politicians to bring it to Coveneys door

Farmer

Had to come back with Simon's quote as the 6 months bit made me laugh (last item here

" The current reform process, which essentially involves a correction of the inaccuracies of the last system, is difficult for farmers who are seeing some of their lands deemed ineligible. By the time the process has been fully corrected, within the next six months or so, Ireland will be one of a few countries in the EU to have done that. Significant disallowances and fines, which would be multiples of the value of the correction figure we are now going to deliver, will be avoided as a result."

frazzledhome

Farmer wrote: »

It's a pity some of the people that are so ready to bash civil servants weren't smart enough to have nabbed one of them handy jobs when they were going.

Most are people we know, brothers, sisters, neighbours etc. I have always found the Agriculture people helpful. On this occasion, they have been swamped by the level of cross compliance checking, particularly resulting from Coveneys 2013 clampdown. Did I read somewhere that an external contractor was involved here? If so, your P45 laden civil servant above couldn't have done any worse a job of differentiating between scrub and shadow on an out of date satellite map. I've also read on another forum that appeals are running 18 months behind schedule and this is obviously impacting on everything.

These decisions were made at the top, to make a problem go away on a particular day, without any regard for their impact on peoples lives or indeed the lives of those who have to implement them or take the backlash. It's up to us to apply the backlash to the guys who made the decisions rather than the front line staff

Use the politicians to bring it to Coveneys door

There is NO excuse for not having transfers done between April and Nov.

Theres NO excuse for not answering or returning a call or picking up a message

There's NO excuse for asking for the same info 3 times

There's NO excuse for going on a 2 hr lunch instead of the 1.5 hr alotted

If someone is out sick there's NO excuse for the person dealing with the file to sign their name

As I said I've no problem with any part of Dept except the Transfer.

There's NO excuse for holding the threat of a farm ins over someone making them fearful of questioning a faulty system

Get the staff from Revenue to run it and it'll run smooth. They will always give you an answer

Dawggone

God I only read this thread now and I have to say I'd forgotten what a shower the Dept are.
I used take a lot of conacre here there and everywhere. I wouldn't trust anybody to do the SFP as a mistake could cost you a lot of time and frustration.

The financial crisis in Ireland was a good opportunity to purge the civil service but it was avoided at all costs.

I'm building a lake here and the satellite picked up the work in progress. Got a letter to explain myself. Went to necessary office and explained myself and they couldn't have been nicer. Told me I'd get paid for the land until lake was filled even though it's a building site!

Jeez the dread I used to have dealing with th SFP staff. 5live said it all.

I would nearly go as far as to say that attitude is endemic within all "uncivil" servants in the country.

Count Mondego

frazzledhome wrote: »

As I said I've no problem with any part of Dept except the Transfer.

Have to say that I did a farm transfer with entitlements last year and had no issue or delay. Any time I rang Portlaoise they answered and were helpful.

Not disputing your experience but have to be fair too.

whelan2

Count Mondego wrote: »

Have to say that I did a farm transfer with entitlements last year and had no issue or delay. Any time I rang Portlaoise they answered and were helpful.

Not disputing your experience but have to be fair too.

there are different numbers though, i spent ages trying to get through, rang local dvo and they had a different number which they use for portlaoise and my call was answered first time

orm0nd

whelan2 wrote: »

when you do leave in a document, get someone to sign that they received it. Hate this crap of not answering phones and duplicate letters looking for the same stuff, can alot of this stuff not be done on line, it adds to the stress level immensely

any time I leave in a document I also bring a duplicate , I don't leave until I get both stamped ,, and I keep the copy

Timmaay

5live wrote: »

Yeah, the inspection threat is a hoor alright. Just make sure that you sit-in in the correct section. I would have no idea where the people dealing with some areas are based.

We can't protest against factories because it's anticompetitive.

We can't protest against the department because they will inspect the sh!!te out of us.

Next the Safety authority will insist on us wearing saddles so nobody can fall off while riding us.

Post of the year defo, still laughing at it here!

lakill Farm

I know lots of hard working civil servants but equally as many who don't give a feck. The ones who don't give a feck need a boot up the hole.

In private industry they wount survive to Monday morning coffee break

Farmer wrote: »

It's a pity some of the people that are so ready to bash civil servants weren't smart enough to have nabbed one of them handy jobs when they were going.

Most are people we know, brothers, sisters, neighbours etc. I have always found the Agriculture people helpful. On this occasion, they have been swamped by the level of cross compliance checking, particularly resulting from Coveneys 2013 clampdown. Did I read somewhere that an external contractor was involved here? If so, your P45 laden civil servant above couldn't have done any worse a job of differentiating between scrub and shadow on an out of date satellite map. I've also read on another forum that appeals are running 18 months behind schedule and this is obviously impacting on everything.

These decisions were made at the top, to make a problem go away on a particular day, without any regard for their impact on peoples lives or indeed the lives of those who have to implement them or take the backlash. It's up to us to apply the backlash to the guys who made the decisions rather than the front line staff

Use the politicians to bring it to Coveneys door

frazzledhome

Count Mondego wrote: »

Have to say that I did a farm transfer with entitlements last year and had no issue or delay. Any time I rang Portlaoise they answered and were helpful.

Not disputing your experience but have to be fair too.

Have done a transfer many times and until this year no problem. This time the phone isn't even answered.

AP2014

Count Mondego wrote: »

Have to say that I did a farm transfer with entitlements last year and had no issue or delay. Any time I rang Portlaoise they answered and were helpful.

Not disputing your experience but have to be fair too.

Same experience but it was a few years ago. Unbelievably efficient and helpful. It was a stressful time and they showed great consideration through the hole process.

AP2014

lakill Farm wrote: »

I know lots of hard working civil servants but equally as many who don't give a feck. The ones who don't give a feck need a boot up the hole.

In private industry they wount survive to Monday morning coffee break

Worked in both the private and public sector and you meet the hard working ones in both and the slackers in both. There is a serious myth that slackers wouldn't last in the private sector. They do with our employment laws and I have had the pleasure of working with them in both private and public sector.

Zoo4m8

Birdnuts wrote: »

The Dept appears determined to drive as many small to medium farmers out of the industry as possible. Its clear the agenda is firmly in favour of the big players in agri-business and is likely to severely damage large parts of rural Ireland economically, socially, environmentally etc.

For years my OH has maintained that this is the case, I have always told her she was just paranoid but over the last couple years I'm beginning to believe she's right... After all it's surely a lot less hassle to deal with one man as opposed to, say, seven or eight.

Cran

Farmer wrote: »

It's a pity some of the people that are so ready to bash civil servants weren't smart enough to have nabbed one of them handy jobs when they were going.

Most are people we know, brothers, sisters, neighbours etc. I have always found the Agriculture people helpful. On this occasion, they have been swamped by the level of cross compliance checking, particularly resulting from Coveneys 2013 clampdown. Did I read somewhere that an external contractor was involved here? If so, your P45 laden civil servant above couldn't have done any worse a job of differentiating between scrub and shadow on an out of date satellite map. I've also read on another forum that appeals are running 18 months behind schedule and this is obviously impacting on everything.

These decisions were made at the top, to make a problem go away on a particular day, without any regard for their impact on peoples lives or indeed the lives of those who have to implement them or take the backlash. It's up to us to apply the backlash to the guys who made the decisions rather than the front line staff

Use the politicians to bring it to Coveneys door

I think the problem is its a total lottery to who is handling your item. I've had transfers handled brillant one time, then others its like a big long black hole with no way to escalate or find out what is the hold up.
Problem seems to be no targets within teams in civil service, and poor performers are not handled correctly and are protected. This has to tough on the good workers as well, and must impact their productivity.

The lack of escalation points is a problem to and no communication back to farmers is major part of the problem. As someone who runs an area in private sector its the escalation process & communication that often keeps clients happy, not best turn around times even though this is very important.

capslock88

Shocking that theyre holding sfp on people who have appealed, often for only small bits of land...putting people under savage pressure...did people notice the front page of the fj last week with massive heading bragging about the 560m that'l be paid out but the small print shows that one in ten will get cuts totalling 10m for land ineligibility retrospectively to 2008...???...at least with a bill/water charges you can refuse to pay or fight the charge but with this they can just take it off you and thats it....of course you can appeal--but look at the fiasco thats turned out to be....i just think the retrospection is fierce harsh...particularly when it seems to have largely affected farmers with marginal/strippy land that would only have handy payments...now facing big cuts...i really wonder sometimes if the minister actually wants to get rid of small farmers in marginal areas...

Upstream

Count Mondego wrote: »

Have to say that I did a farm transfer with entitlements last year and had no issue or delay. Any time I rang Portlaoise they answered and were helpful.

Not disputing your experience but have to be fair too.

This would be my experience too. They have a job to do that's probably not as simple as we make out sometimes. I've always found them to be helpful to deal with, even if things sometimes take longer than I'd like.

I do think a better process for managing documents would be a real help to everyone, being asked to send in the same thing over and over again and then being told they haven't got it is no use to anyone.

If you could get a case number and upload or withdraw documents online, so that when you were speaking to the relevant person you would know exactly what they had in front of them, I think that would cut out a lot of the heartache. And if physical documents were needed, they should only have to go in at the end of the process for rubber stamping when everyone is satisfied that all is in order.

The ag food system should not be far away from being able to handle this in this day and age. I think it can do most of this already. Just need a new area for special cases like inheritance and transfers, where things don't always follow a straightforward process, and to accommodate the special cases that arise where things aren't black and white.

milkprofit

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All passed dairy parlour tank paper work
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How much did it cost industry for 4 people to do one persons job
Will it ever change

foxylock

Had a land inspection last week, met the two inspectors and all left happy enough with no further issues.

rang dept this morning and I am cleared for payment. Good news.

I will be deducted €57, disturbing to think that I was brought to the brink of a financial disaster for that sum of money!

I can pay my bills and breathe again. Thanks to all who advised and contributed to this thread and I hope anyone with outstanding issues will be paid soon.

djmc

So with a week to go till Christmas how many of ye are still waiting for payment .
I was told last week that there were no funds left to meet das payments at the moment and they didn't know when there would be.
I'd bet there is funds to pay there staff before Christmas😒

foxylock

djmc wrote: »

So with a week to go till Christmas how many of ye are still waiting for payment .
I was told last week that there were no funds left to meet das payments at the moment and they didn't know when there would be.
I'd bet there is funds to pay there staff before Christmas😒

you could be right, i was cleared for payment a week ago but still no payment. Rang today and the nice dept man said it prob be January.......just like that. Not bloody good enough, very frustrating now.