CORPORATE DEVELOPMENT
Ann Derwin
Assistant Secretary General
Sean Keevey
Director of Information
Technology
Management Services,
Accommodation and
Health and Safety
Division
Human Resources
Division
Corporate Affairs
Division
Finance Division
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IMT - Direct Farm
Payments Systems
(IACS)
IMT - Infrastructure
and Operations
-
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IMT- Customer,
Financial, Fisheries and
Animal Health Systems
Internal Audit Unit
-
Accounts Division
Legal Services Division
Agriculture Appeals
Office
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Ann Derwin, Assistant Secretary General
Office phone No:
Mobile No:
Responsible for the following Divisions
Division
Management Services,
Accommodation, and Health &
Safety Division
Head of Division
Gráinne Mulligan
Human Resources Division
Sharon Murphy
Corporate Affairs Division
Kay Ryan
Finance Division
Heber McMahon
Accounts Division
Geraldine Mullen
Internal Audit Unit
Colm McKiernan
Legal Services Division
Derek Elliott
Agricultural Appeals Office
Angela Robinson
Office No
Mobile No
MANAGEMENT SERVICES, ACCOMMODATION SERVICES AND
HEALTH AND SAFETY DIVISION
Head of Division: Gráinne Mulligan, Principal Officer
The role of this Division is to provide the Department with analysis and advice on
organisational development, business process improvement, resource deployment
and change management; to co-ordinate and implement where appropriate the
Department’s response to public service reform, to undertake Reviews, Investigations
and other Projects as requested/decided by MAC and to organise Heads of Division
and Staff Seminars as appropriate.
Management Services Division (MSD) provides the Department with analysis and advice on
organisational development, business process improvement, resource deployment and
change management. In addition the Division leads the Department’s response to public
service reform, specifically to:

monitor, drive and report on the Department’s Public Sector Reform Plan 20142016

lead and co-ordinate the Department’s response to, and participation in, the
Department of Public Expenditure and Reform led Civil Service Renewal Plan.
The productivity measures agreed in the Haddington Road Agreement have facilitated the
Public Service Reform Plan 2014-2016 in maintaining emphasis on reducing costs and
increasing efficiency, as it moves the reform agenda towards stronger focus on the delivery
of optimum outcomes.
Working in concert with this reform process, the ongoing
programme of reviews/examinations undertaken by MSD as part of its key functions, give a
focus to the reform agenda in the Department and have and will facilitate meeting the
requirements of public sector reform by assessing how, as an organisation, we can operate
more efficiently and effectively in delivering on the Department’s mission.
Activities for 2016:
1. Organise and facilitate a Head’s of Division Seminar;
2. Carry out an internal Organisational Review of DAFM;
3. Support the Laboratory Steering Group in the Strategic Review of DAFM’s Laboratory
Service;
4. Complete a Review of Lands Division;
5. Undertake additional Reviews, Investigations and other Projects as requested/decided
by MAC.
ACCOMMODATION SERVICES
The role of Accommodation Services Division is to provide a high quality service to the
Minister, Minister(s) of State, and internal and external customers through appropriate
accommodation, utilities (non IT), and supplies (non IT) and to support the
Department’s certification to ISO 27001 standard on information security and
ultimately the efficient and effective management of the state assets.
The division manages the DAFM property portfolio, including 6 main offices, 16 regional
offices, other offices, 9 laboratories and field stations, with a budget of approx €11 million
annually for associated costs. The division is responsible for all services payments associated
with these locations. It monitors and reports on the Department’s Energy usage to the SEAI.
Topical key issues:
The Department through the Office of Public Works (OPW) has delivered significant savings
to the state budget through relinquishing of leases and reconfiguration of office space to
allow for a smaller footprint. In 2009, in line with government policy, DAFM began a process
of restructuring its local office network which reduced the number of local offices from 58
to 16 enhanced Regional Offices.
At present there are two major projects proposed, the

consolidation of the office accommodation footprint in Portlaoise and

refurbishment of HQ Agriculture House.
In addition DAFM is working with OPW and other stakeholders on Dublin Port’s plans for the
reconfiguration of Dublin Port to ensure the future proofing of state inspection facilities.
HEALTH AND SAFETY DIVISION
The role of this Division is to ensure the safety, health and welfare of Department
employees, to fully implement occupational health and safety management standards
across its functions. To comply fully with relevant health and safety legislation and in
particular the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, regulations, codes of
practice and considered best national and international practice.
To achieve this, the Department, in so far as it is reasonably practicable:
 Provides and maintains a working environment for employees and visitors (and
encourage those in control of working environments where Department employees
maintain a presence) that is without risk of injury and ill health.
 Provides such information, instruction, training and supervision as is necessary to ensure
the safety, health and welfare of employees.
 Continues to plan, implement, improve and review periodically the Department’s Health
and Safety Management System including safety statements to ensure it remains
relevant, appropriate and effective.
 Communicates the health and safety policy arrangements to employees, visitors and
contractors to ensure they are aware of their health and safety responsibilities.
 Establishes annual health and safety objectives for the Department and produce an
annual health and safety plan to be periodically reviewed.
 Provides adequate resources in terms of time, people and finance, to secure the safety,
health and welfare of employees, visitors and contractors.
Delivery mechanism
 Health and Safety Section provides a coordinating function and an advisory role on
all matters relating to health and safety.
 The Department has a wide range of responsibilities with staff performing office
based duties, on farm inspections, island farm inspections, inspection of food
business operations, management of 6 fishery harbours, provision of laboratory
services and management of Department research farms,
 A harmonised Health and Safety Risk Management System [HSRMS] promotes and
ensures a consistent approach to health and safety risk management across the
Department.
 Ongoing communication with staff, representative bodies for staff, senior
management, health and safety bodies, peer review groups to encourage
implementation of the HSRMS.
 Ongoing monitoring of the delivery of the HSRMS enables the identification of
training needs, updating of risk assessments and updating of safety statements.
 Periodic meetings with the State Claims Agency to review the implementation of the
HSRMS, the level and type of accidents/incidents during any period, review risk level
and advise accordingly.
 Health and Safety Section provides ongoing assistance to line management
i.e. the preparation of safety statements for the office/facilities for which they are
responsible, site specific needs, emergency evacuation procedures, risk assessment,
identification of appropriate personal protective equipment.
HUMAN RESOURCES DIVISION
Head of Division: Sharon Murphy, Principal Officer
The mission of the Division is to develop, implement and manage the Department’s
human resource policies in line with Best Practice Guidelines, and ensure all internal
stakeholders feel supported in their roles under the Statement of Strategy 2015 – 2017
General Structure of Human Resources
With just over 3,000 staff, the Department operates from six large centralised locations
across the country, sixteen regional offices, Fishery harbours, Meat Plants, Border
Inspection Posts and Laboratories. In addition to the general administrative grade streams,
the Department employs a number of technical and professional grade steams, including
Technical Agricultural Officers, Veterinary Practitioners, Agricultural Inspectorate, Forestry
Inspectorate, Engineers, Harbour Masters, Laboratory specialists and services support staff.
Deployment of resources
The moratorium on recruitment that was in place up to November 2014 and incentivised
retirement schemes for staff has placed significant pressure on the level of resources in the
Department and the availability of adequate skilled staff in certain areas. During the
moratorium, the Department operated under staffing thresholds set by Department of
Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER) and these thresholds decreased annually.
Throughout this period HR Division and MAC critically assessed business needs within the
Department and worked closely with DPER to ensure that critical priority frontline services
were maintained i.e. statutory requirement to ensure Veterinary supervision in meat plants
was maintained. The Department secured delegated sanction from DPER in May 2015. This
removed the numbers threshold and provided the Department with flexibility to recruit and
deploy resources subject to adherence to specified pay ceilings which are fixed and binding
for 2015-2017. Compliance with these pay ceilings will be regularly monitored on the basis
of the Department continuing to effectively deliver services, particularly as there is
significant additional work in several areas, such as implementation of provisions of
reformed Common Agricultural Policy and Common Fisheries Policy and our increasing
workload and responsibilities with regard to food safety, animal welfare, animal and plant
health and other controls, market access, ISO, etc. The delegated sanction allows DAFM to
recruit and promote staff up to and including Principal Officer and equivalent grades,
subject to adherence to the binding three year pay ceilings.
In order to try to best meet its business needs DAFM undertakes several processes to
support better identification of critical needs including annual business plans and
Departmental workforce planning.
Having secured delegated sanction, HR Division
implements a quarterly prioritisation process with the members of the Management
Advisory Committee (MAC) to fill resource needs in line with current business needs. MAC
members individually prioritise needs and these are then considered collectively by MAC. It
is the responsibility of HR Division to source the resources prioritised by MAC through
recruitment in association with the Public Appointments Service, internal promotion,
internal mobility, training, etc.
In some sectors, DAFM is statutorily obligated to ensure resources are deployed i.e. under
Regulation (EC) No 854/2004 (laying down specific rules for the organisation of official
controls on products of animal origin intended for human consumption), DAFM as the
“Competent Authority” has a legal obligation to have an Official Veterinarian in export
approved slaughter plants. The closure of any export approved slaughter plant due to
DAFM’s inability to provide the requited DAFM veterinary presence in such a plant would
result in a loss of jobs at the plant in question and significant reputational damage for DAFM
and for Irish beef internationally.
Table 1 : Department staff by location
Challenges facing the Department
The Department continuously evaluates our HR requirements in line with our business
needs and works closely with our recruitment partners, the Public Appointments Service
(PAS) to address those needs. The current PAS system is under severe pressure as all
Departments and Public Service Organisations are actively seeking new recruits and this is
impacting on the speed at which new recruits are allocated to us. We are working closely
with PAS to try to address this but it is an ongoing difficulty.
Attracting new recruits with the required skills set is challenging due to the competitive
employment environment, comparative salary levels in private sector, diverse geographic
spread of employment locations, etc. The Department is working closely with the Public
Appointment Service to address our recruitment issues and has begun to participate in
Career Fairs/Events to attract suitable skills set to the Department.
The complex range of skills required in the Department leads to challenges in the reorganisation of work and the filling of critical vacancies. HR Division is currently formulating
a new HR strategy that will provide the basis for a number of policies aimed at addressing
these challenges.
The current demographic in the Department is particularly challenging as 14% of our staff
are aged over 60, 40% are aged between 50- 60 and 29% are aged between 40-50. HR
Division will monitor this situation closely and incorporate succession planning provisions in
our workforce planning process to ensure continuity of service.
Civil Service Renewal
The Department is fully committed to actively participating in all aspects of the Civil Service
Renewal process. A new HR Strategy incorporating the provisions of the various policies
arising from the Renewal process will be implemented in the first half of 2016.
Administration Budget (Payroll, etc)
In line with delegated sanction arrangements, the Department is fully committed to
operating within our agreed payroll threshold.
The following tables set out the payroll and associated allocations and outturns for 2015
and 2016:
Administration
Salaries, Wages and
allowances
Administration
Travel & Subsistence
2015
Allocation
(€,000)
2015
Outturn
(€,000)
2016
Allocation
(€,000)
167,731
165,978
172,902
6,909
6,973
6,910
3,664
5,511
4,423
39,087
41,730
49,742
Administration
Incidental Expenses
(Training, Attachés,
Legal, etc)
Administration
Postal,
Telecommunications,
IMT, Buildings,
Laboratory etc.
Payroll allocation
The increase in payroll allocation for 2016 is to cover this Department’s ambition to recruit
up to 200 additional staff to account for current and future business needs and to ensure we
deliver core business functions i.e. supporting market access for industry, food safety and
ISO standards. In addition, there are rigorous certification demands in terms of export
certification and maintaining high levels of plant and animal health and animal welfare.
Underpinning this and in order to meet statutory obligations, the Department must
maintain frontline staffing levels to meet the high standards of food safety. Failure to fill
these critical business needs could compromise Ireland’s food safety standards and impact
negatively on Ireland’s ability to continue to export. The Department also needs to ensure
on an ongoing basis that our various CAP and CFP schemes supporting farming, fishing,
industry and research are efficiently implemented and meet all EU audit requirements to
avoid the risk of significant fines to the Irish Exchequer. HR Division must ensure that at all
times we operate within our payroll threshold.
Overtime
Since 2007 expenditure on overtime has been reduced by 73%. The use of overtime in this
Department is an efficient mechanism for dealing with peaks in the levels of activity that
arise with many of the Department’s schemes.
For example, operation of the Basic
Payment Scheme requires on-farm inspections to be carried out in specific months of the
year, while abattoirs and meat processing plants have traditionally been busiest from late
summer onwards. In these circumstances the use of overtime is one of the strategies used
by management to match resources available to the Department with fluctuating demands
in an efficient and cost-effective manner.
Travel and Subsistence
The largest component is home travel mainly on control inspections for EU schemes, animal
health controls and meat inspection/food safety services.
The Department’s travel expenditure is continuously being monitored and activities that
require regular travel are reviewed with a view to reducing travel costs. In the period 2008
to 2014 the Department reduced annual travel and subsistence expenditure by some
€8.232m (54%). These considerable savings have been delivered by deploying technology,
improving business processes and rationalising inspections. However, it must be borne in
mind that much of the Department’s business takes place on farms and other premises,
which are in remote locations.
Industrial Relations
In general DAFM enjoys good working relations with the various staff associations
representing the different grade streams.
HR Division meets the staff associations
collectively on a quarterly basis to discuss and resolve IR issues and also regularly meets
individual staff associations bilaterally. Since the downturn in the public finances which
commenced in 2008 the way DAFM now conducts its business has changed significantly.
There have been expenditure cuts, reductions in budgets, and this Department, as indeed all
other Departments, had been operating under a moratorium and within a tight Employment
Control Framework (ECF). This has affected all staff. The Croke Park Agreement and its
successors, the Haddington Road Agreement and the Landsdowne Road Agreement also
require greater degrees of flexibility and efficiency from all staff through changing work
practices and other initiatives. In general staff have coped well with these conditions but
they have generated some stresses amongst staff .
Two particular IR issues of note are:
Technical Agricultural Officers - Impact
IMPACT has a number of branches representing DAFM staff. The largest such branch is the
Agriculture No. 1 Branch representing officers in the Technical Agricultural Officer grade
stream (circa 640 staff). This number reflects a substantial reduction in that grade stream
since 2008 when there was circa 1,000 staff.
These grades are deployed on duties across a number of work areas in the Department and
report to either the veterinary or agriculture inspectorate grade stream depending on their
area of assignment.
There has been a large reduction in the technical staff numbers in recent years. DAFM has
managed this reduction because changing business needs and changing work practices have
reduced the demand for staff. This level of reduction in numbers and changes in practices
has led to a feeling of uncertainty amongst Technical Officers regarding their role in the
Department. A further general concern which has continuously been raised by IMPACT
Agriculture No. 1 Branch, on behalf of their members, is that the core work of technical staff
has been eroded over the last number of years and that in many cases this work has been
reassigned to the Veterinary and Inspectorate streams.
DAFM has had ongoing discussions with IMPACT (both internally within DAFM) and at the
Labour Relations Commission (LRC) in relation to that and other issues. In August 2014, in
the context of the commencement of conciliation on a number of issues under the auspices
of the Labour Relations Commission, DAFM and the Agriculture No. 1 Branch of IMPACT
agreed to enter into a meaningful process in order to address the issues of duties
appropriate to the technical grades. To that end both parties agreed to an establishment of
a Working Group to be facilitated by an Independent Body. Both parties agreed to accept
the findings of that Working Group and to agree an Implementation Framework in respect
of those findings.
The Working Group’s Report found that a key initial issue for both sides in developing this
Framework should be to recognise the need for much improved communication, rebuilding
trust and allowing operational issues to be addressed and dealt with without immediate
recourse to the Industrial Relations machinery. The report made various findings supporting
the implementation of a range of more flexible working practices for these officers and the
implementation of team based working and cross stream reporting.
IMPACT has voted to reject the report. However HR has begun a process of engagement
with IMPACT for the purpose of moving forward on these issues.
Temporary Veterinary Inspectors (legal case
re their
status (contractor or employee))
Under Regulation (EC) No 854/2004 (laying down specific rules for the organisation of
official controls on products of animal origin intended for human consumption), DAFM as
the “Competent Authority” has a legal obligation to have an Official Veterinarian in each
export approved slaughter plant.
In the context of the consequent provision of the
regulatory meat inspection service in each such plant DAFM is assisted by the use of parttime Temporary Veterinary Inspectors (TVIs) who are engaged as and when required on a
contract for services basis.
They assist the permanent staff of the Department of
Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) in a part-time contractor capacity in performing
the regulatory functions of meat inspection. TVI’s are not employees of the Department.
From a legal prospective, TVIs are contractors insofar as DAFM is concerned. A TVI panel
exists for each of the 47 or so export approved slaughter plants in the country.
However since the closure of
2004, five TVIs
(an export approved slaughter plant) in October
applied to the Employment Appeals Tribunal
(EAT) to have their entitlements under the Redundancy Payments Acts determined. This
case will also effectively decide the employment status of these individuals.
This issue has been considered by the EAT and the parties concerned have appealed
decisions to the High Court and the Supreme Court. The matter has now returned to the
EAT for determination. No date has been set for this EAT hearing. The outcome of this case
could potentially have significant implications for DAFM.
CORPORATE AFFAIRS DIVISION (CAD)
Head of Division: Kay Ryan, Principal Officer
The primary role of this Division is to manage the Department’s media and external
communications strategy and co-ordinate various inter-Departmental and interDivisional functions, including those relating to North/South relations. To manage the
Minister’s statutory responsibilities in relation to Teagasc, to oversee Corporate
Governance of State Bodies in association with the relevant line Divisions and to provide
a quality service to the Minister and Ministers of State.
The main areas of work are:
Press and Information Office
The Press and Information Office is responsible for the issue of Press Releases, organising
media launches/briefings, responding to information requests and the coordination of
sector specific articles for various publications. The Office also monitors the various media
outlets and maintains the Departments social media presence (Twitter). The Office also
places advertisements in the print, broadcast and online media.
The role of the Press Officer is:

to act, as appropriate, as spokesperson for the Minister and the Department on
media issues, in co-operation with the Minister’s Advisors,

to implement an efficient and prompt proactive and reactive press
function in order to maximise publicity for Department activities,

to advise the Minister, Minister(s) of State and the Department in
general on press matters,

to liaise closely with the offices of the Minister and Minister(s) of State,
the Secretary General’s Office and with Ministers’ Advisers,

to liaise with the Government Information Service (GIS),

to promote efficient and effective use of advertising budget

to build public awareness of our various schemes and services
Co-ordination
The Division co-ordinates the provision of speeches/ PQs/ briefing etc. for the Minister and
Minister(s) of State as well as the Department’s responses to Government Memoranda and
works with the Minister(s) Advisers on the publication of Ministerial Newsletters. It is also
responsible for the compilation of the Department’s Annual Report.
Data Protection/Freedom of Information /Access to Information on the Environment
CAD is responsible for the development and roll out of policies in the area of Data
Protection and Data Retention and the National Archives Act having particular regard to our
obligations under the ISO 27001 project. The Division also manages all matters relating to
FOI Act 2014 and the European Communities (Access to Information on the Environment)
Regulations 2007 - 2014.
Customer Service
As part of its role in the area of customer service, CAD oversees implementation of the
Department’s Customer Charter and responds to customer service complaints as well as coordinating responses to Ombudsman cases. It also has an overarching role in monitoring
progress on targets and undertakings set out in the Farmers’ Charter of Rights and coordinates for the independently chaired Farmers Charter Monitoring Committee meetings.
The Division also oversees the publication of Department information/publications on the
Department’s website and internal eZone and publishes a staff magazine twice a year.
Irish Language
CAD seeks to ensure that the Department meets its obligations under the Official Languages
Act 2003. We are in the process of finalising a new Irish language scheme for the
Department.
Corporate Governance
CAD is currently drafting the Corporate Governance Standard for this Department.
State Bodies
There are twelve State Bodies under the aegis of the Department. See Chapter 6. Corporate
Affairs Division has an oversight role in conjunction with relevant line Divisions, in
monitoring State Bodies, specifically in the area of Corporate Governance.
Board membership
For details on arrangements for appointments to the Boards of State Bodies please see
Chapter 6.
Emergency Planning
Corporate Affairs Division has a co-ordinating role for emergency planning within DAFM. It
represents the Department on the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning and
subcommittees including Severe Weather National Co-ordination, CBRN (Chemical,
Biological, Radiological Nuclear) incidents, Risk, Communications and the National
Emergency Plan for Nuclear Accidents. The Department has an Emergency Planning CoOrdination Committee the purpose of which is to oversee emergency and business
continuity planning arrangements within the Department.
Shows and Events
CAD is responsible for organising the Department’s presence at the National Ploughing
Championship which take place from 20 -22 September this year and has a coordination/supporting role in organising other events/conferences including SeaFest,
Ireland’s national maritime festival, incorporating the Our Ocean Wealth Conference, which
will be held in Galway from 1 – 3 July 2016.
Integrated Marine Plan
Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth (HOOW) - Ireland’s Integrated Marine Plan, published in mid2012, set out a roadmap for a vision, high-level goals and integrated actions across policy,
governance and business to enable Ireland’s marine potential to be realised. The Plan is an
initiative of the Inter-Departmental Marine Coordination Group (MCG), chaired by the
Minister for Agriculture Food and the Marine. The Marine Coordination Group brings
together senior officials of Departments with an involvement in marine issues, together with
the Marine Institute, to drive forward the Government’s marine strategy and coordinate
issues that require cross-departmental action.
North / South Cooperation
Background to North South Ministerial Council (NSMC)
North South Ministerial Council Plenary meetings are held twice a year. Attendees imclude
the Taoiseach and relevant Minister/s with the Northern side represented by the First
Secretary and Deputy Secretary and N.I. Ministers. There have been twenty five Plenary
meetings held to date, the next one is scheduled to take place in Dublin Castle in June 2016.
There are 12 sectors in all under the ambit of the NSMC. Six of these are North/South Bodies
and the remaining are agreed areas of co-operation, one being agriculture. Each sector holds
three/four meetings per annum. To date there have been eighteen NSMC Agriculture
Sectoral meetings. The next one is scheduled for the autumn and will be chaired by the
Southern side.
The agreed areas of co-operation for Agriculture under the Good Friday Agreement are:
the development of an All-Island Animal Health Strategy for control of animal
movements and the prevention, containment and eradication of epizootic diseases
in Ireland.

the development of an All-Island Plant Health and Research Strategy including cooperation between both jurisdictions in relation to plant protection products.

liaison on issues arising at WTO, EU enlargement and the mid-term review of the
CAP.
FINANCE DIVISION
Head of Division: Heber McMahon, Principal Officer
The role of the Finance Unit is to manage the financial affairs of the Department. This
includes operating a system of financial delegation and monitoring, analysing and
reporting on expenditure of voted funds against agreed budgets and providing fund
management support to Divisions. It liaises, as required, with the Comptroller and
Auditor General. Finance Division is also responsible for coordinating and monitoring EU
Commission and Court of Auditor audits and preparing the EU Annual Account and
Statement of Assurance and all supporting reconciliations required for audit purposes
and to support Ireland’s status as an accredited paying agency. The Risk Management
System is maintained, monitored and managed by Finance Division.
Vote Overview 2016
The gross vote of the Department in 2016 will amount to €1,363m, comprising €1,134m in
current expenditure and €229m in capital expenditure including a carry-over of €12 million
capital from the 2015 allocation. When appropriations in aid of €306m are taken into
account, the 2016 net vote is estimated at €1,045m.
In addition to the Voted Exchequer funds, the Department is responsible for distributing
€1.2bn in “non Voted” funds. These are 100% EU funded monies the bulk of which relate to
the Basic Payment Scheme.
Table 1 DAFM Financial Summary €m
2015 Gross Estimate
2016 Gross Estimate
Non-Voted
1,210
1,203
Voted
1,325
1,363
Current
1,109
1,134
Capital*
216
229
2,529
2,566
Total DAFM funding
*includes €18.0m capital savings carried over from 2014 and. €12.0m capital carried over from 2015
The 2015 total estimate includes the provisions made in the Supplementary Estimate in
December 2015 of an additional €65m allocated for expenditure and a reduction of €39m
required in appropriations in aid, which combined to increase the net vote by €104m
Structure of Vote
The Vote is sub divided into 4 expenditure programmes corresponding to the 4 key Strategic
Objectives set out in the current Statement of Strategy (programmes A to D).
The
programme allocation figures shown in table 2 includes the proportion of the Department’s
administrative budget to be spent in the delivery of each of the Programmes. If shown
separately, the DAFM Administrative Budget would be €234m of which €173m is pay and
€61m non pay
Table 2 Overview of Voted expenditure programmes A to D (€m all figs rounded)
Title of Programme
Main components
2015
2015
2016
outturn
A Agri-Food, Forestry & Marine
Policy and Trade Development
B Food Safety, Animal Health &
Welfare and Plant Health
State Bodies, Research and
399.8
450.8
197.9
218.0
396.0
447.7
331.3
246.6
1,325.1
1,363.0
430.5
306.4
876.6
1,044.7
BDGP
Disease Eradication
Programmes and meat
inspection service
C Rural and Marine Economy and
Environment
D Direct Payments
Ag-Envi Schemes, TAMS
Forestry and Harbours
Mostly ANC, 2015 includes
extra €65m for disallowance
Gross Vote
E Appropriations in Aid
EU Receipts
Net Vote
*includes €18m capital savings carried over from 2014 and €12m carried from 2015.
The 10 largest 2016 programme allocations are;
1. Areas of Natural Constraint ( formerly LFAs) €202m
2. GLAS (Green Low Carbon Agri-Environment Scheme) €142m
3. Teagasc €116m, In addition to that specific Teagasc allocation, a further €11m is
allocated on the Vote for Training
4. Forestry €114m ( of which €12m is carried over from the DAFM 2015 voted
allocation)
5. Animal Health & Welfare €83m
6. Horse and Greyhound Fund €74 million, which by legislation is split 80% /20%
between Horse Racing and the Greyhound Racing bodies HRI and BnG
7. Beef Data & Genomics Scheme allocated €52 million in 2016.
8. AEOS €40m
9. BIM €39.7m – this includes most of the funding for the Seafood Development
Programme
10. TAMs €35.8m
Receipts
The Departments budgeted total appropriations in aid for 2016 is €306m. This contrasts
with €66m received in 2014 and €435m received in 2015. The reason for this variation was
the postponement by the Commission of its payment of €180m in respect of the cofinancing of 2014 expenditure under the 2014-2020 European Agriculture Fund for Rural
Development (EAFRD) until 2015 when our RDP was finally approved.
Of the expected 2016 total voted receipts, EU co-funding accounts for well over 80% of the
total. The bulk of the EU transfers arise under the Rural Development Programme (RDP)
2014-2020 with the reminder relating to animal health measures (veterinary fund co
funding for BSE, TB etc), fisheries (EFF 2007/13) and some relatively minor co funding
amounts relating to market support technical costs etc.
The balance of receipts relates to charges for inspection and certification services e.g.
inspection of meat and dairy premises, certification of live animal exports, laboratory
services etc (€31.4m.) as well as pension levy deductions and other salary refund receipts
(€17m.).
ISSUES
Funding the RDP from 2017 to-2020
The RDP is valued at some €4m over the period 2014 – 2020 including €2.19bn of EU funds.
Despite the multi-annual nature of the programme the exchequer allocation of matching
funds to DAFM is subject to the annual budgetary process.
When the total programme funding was approved by Government in 2014, it was agreed
that there would be an affordability review in 2016.
In this regard the very substantial
increase in RDP expenditures envisaged for 2017 must be considered in the context of the
2017 Vote expenditure ceilings announced as part of the 2016 budgetary process where the
total DAFM indicative ceiling is just €25m greater than our 2016 allocation :
Funding our Capital Requirements
The 2016 - 2021 Capital Plan published in September 2015 indicated that €1,257m of the
€27bn exchequer capital funding would be allocated to DAFM with €217m allocated for
2016 and then €208m for each year from 2017 onwards. The plan states that this allocation
to DAFM will be kept under review during the course of the Capital plan to ensure that all
programmes are fully implemented.
This review commitment is very important given that the main components of the DAFM
capital expenditure programmes have the potential to require a far greater amount as
shown in Table 3
Table 3 Potential Capital Demands mid-2015 €m
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021 Total 20162021
Targeted Agricultural
Modernisation Scheme
Seafood Development
Programme
Forestry Programme
36
68
87
104
76
76
447
12.5
20
20
20
20
20
112.5
100
112
113
114
114
114
667
Other:
68.5
78.8
79.8
67.8
64.8
54.8
414.5
Total
217
278.8
299.8
305.8
274.8
264.8
1,641
While our carry-over of €12m has increased our 2016 allocation the pressure in the
following years will be severe. It is to be noted that Forestry will continue to be the biggest
element of our capital spending comprising up to 50% of the funds available. This is because
Forestry Premia are classified as Capital expenditure so almost 2/3 of the amount shown for
the Forestry programme in any year is “non-discretionary” i.e. it is committed in respect of
planting carried in previous years rather than new planting support in the year in question.
The Other category in Table 3 includes provisions for our State Bodies, the Horse
Greyhound Racing Fund and the remediation of Haulbowline Island. A Government decision
in 2015 increased the approved total expenditure on the remediation to €61m. In our
Capital Plan contribution this was envisaged to be relatively evenly spread over the period
however the phasing of the expenditure is now proposed to be significantly accelerated
with some €40m expenditure anticipated in 2017. While the Government decision provides
that the €61m approved sum is additional to the DAFM vote the remediation of
Haulbowline Island is comprehended within the €208m allocation in the Capital Plan. Again,
this will be the subject of negotiations with DPER come Budget time.
Annual Budgetary Process and new Fiscal Rules
The 2017 budgetary process to take place in 2016 may differ to some degree from the
established norm set out above given that Ireland will be operating under the new EU Fiscal
Rules for the first time in 2016. Indicative ceilings for 2017 and 2018 were included in the
2016 Expenditure report, published on budget day in October 2015, but it is expected that,
given our expanding RDP programme, remediation of Haulbowline Island costs and the
seafood development programme, increases required will be the subject of intense
negotiation between DAFM and DPER in the period leading up to the budget.
The possibility for supplementary estimates appears to be severely reduced under the Fiscal
Rules to apply from 2016 on. There is still some uncertainty about some aspects of these
rules in particular the extent to which they restrict supplementaries relating to
appropriations in aid which have particular importance for DAFM. (Due to unavoidable
delays in receiving EU receipts DAFM required Supplementary Estimates in both 2014 and
2015)
DAFM may have a further issue arising from the restrictiveness of budgetary rules in this
regard: Almost 40% of our programme expenditure scheduled for the last 11 weeks of the
year and, in the event that other Departments require supplementaries late in the year, the
relatively late spend in the DAFM Vote might mark it out as a potential donor if vitally
required funds have to be sourced.
Our payment timetable is largely due to the 16 th
October being the earliest payment date for many EU co-funded schemes. This skewed
payment pattern will get worse rather than better from 2018 when ANC’s will be added to
the list of schemes which must abide by a 16th October start. At present ANC spend
commences in September and amounts to some €130m.
EU Agriculture Funds
EU agricultural aid is payable from two separate EU Funds:
The European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF).
This includes expenditure under fully EU funded schemes, primarily the Basic Payment
Scheme (formerly the Single Payment Scheme). It also includes market support measures
such as export refunds and periodically, Aids to Private Storage (APS). DAFM paid approx.
€1.2 billion under the EAGF in 2015.
The European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD).
This includes expenditure for AEOS, REPS, GLAS, ANC’s, Early Retirement, Beef Data and
Genomics Programme and Farm Improvement schemes. DAFM paid approx. €397 million
under EAFRD in 2015. Of this, EU funding amounts to just over €200 million. Management of
LEADER Schemes is delegated to the Department of the Environment, Community and Local
Government.
EU Audits
The various EAGF/EAFRD schemes are subject to regular audit by the European Commission
and the European Court of Auditors (ECA). The Commission can, on foot of audit findings,
impose financial penalties or disallowances on Member States. The penalties vary
depending on the nature of the findings but could involve a percentage penalty applied to
annual expenditure over a number of years under a scheme.
On an ongoing basis, there is engagement with the Commission Services in relation to audit
findings on EU funded and co-funded schemes. DAFM has recently concluded the
conformity clearance process with the Commission on audits on area based schemes for the
years 2008 – 2014 which resulted in an exclusion of almost €68 million in respect of
identified deficiencies in the maintenance of the Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS).
This outcome was a 60% reduction in the initial penalty proposed by the Commission.
Given the complexity of various EU Schemes and the timeframe over which they operate,
the aggregate performance of Member States over time is a useful indicator of how
schemes are being managed. In this respect, approximately 0.6% of total EU expenditure
has been disallowed in Ireland since 2004. This compares favourably with an EU average in
the region of 2.17%.
Accreditation
Payments under EAGF and EAFRD schemes may only be made by an “accredited” Paying
Agency, i.e. one that meets certain administrative and accounting criteria laid down in EU
Regulations. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) is the accredited
Paying Agency in Ireland. By way of an Act of Accreditation (presently dated 31 March
2015), the Minister is the Competent Authority for accrediting the Paying Agency , while the
Secretary General is the Head/Director of the Paying Agency. Certain functions of the
Paying Agency are delegated to the Department of Environment, Community and Local
Government (DECLG) in respect of the Leader measures managed by them which are funded
by the EAFRD.
Finance Division is responsible the preparation of the EU Annual Account and Management
Declaration, for EAGF and EAFRD, within the timeframe set, with all supporting
reconciliations required for audit purposes and to maintain Ireland’s status as an accredited
paying agency.
Publication of details of CAP beneficiaries
The Department is required by EU legislation to publish on its website certain details of the
beneficiaries of schemes funded or co-funded by the EAGF and EAFRD. The details to be
published are the beneficiary’s name, the municipality where beneficiary resides and
amounts received by each measure. There is provision for recipients of payments under
€1,250 to be identified by a code number. Publication is required by 31 May for payments
made in the preceding EU financial year, which runs from 16 October to the following 15
October. The Department published this information in the required format on 29 May 2015
and work is progressing in relation to publication in late May 2016.
EU funding mechanics
For co-funded schemes, the RDP and the Seafood Development programme, the total
amount must be paid in the first instance from the national exchequer through the DAFM
vote; with the EU contribution reclaimed from the Commission generally a quarter in
arrears. When received the funds are recorded as DAFM’s appropriation in aid and are not
available to the Department for expenditure purposes.
EU fully funded scheme’s such as the Basic Farm Payment must be paid in the first instance
by DAFM, and then re-claimed in full from the Commission. Off Vote borrowings through
the NTMA are used to front load payments to farmers. The interest charges applying to
those borrowings are funded on the vote.
Performance in 2015
DAFM’s net current expenditure for 2015 was €60m greater than original allocation with
current expenditure some €26m greater with a shortfall in current receipts of €33m; the net
capital expenditure was some €22m lower than profile. When the supplementary allocation
is taken into account, current expenditure was €38m below the full allocation with capital
€22m below its full allocation.
Current expenditure There was extra expenditure on the Top-up to the EU Market Volatility
payment (€13.5m), the Scheme for Areas of Natural Constraint (€11m), and on the World
Food Programme (€10m), as well as to address the EU exclusion of €68m from funding of
various agricultural schemes for the seven year period 2008 to 2014.
The most significant savings were

on the Agri-Environment Schemes (€21m) where expenditure was lower due to the
transition from REPS as the main scheme in this domain and GLAS which will be the
key environmental scheme for the next 6 years,

the Beef Data & Genomics Programme (€17m), primarily because a significant
percentage of applicants had yet to complete the necessary set of actions relating to
their first year in the scheme. Payments will issue early in 2016 to these applicants
as they confirm their compliance with the requirements.

the EMFF Seafood Development Programme 2014-2020 (€8m). OP finally approved
in December 2015 will allow for new measures to be launched in Jan 2016

Animal Health & Welfare (€9m) significant improvement in animal health and
disease conditions in 2015
Capital expenditure The main areas of capital saving were the TAMS (The targeted
agriculture modernisation scheme) (€9m), Forestry (€7m) and the remediation project of
Haulbowline Island (€4m) with some additional spending on Fisheries Harbour Centres
Central Procurement Unit
The Central Procurement Unit (CPU) oversees and monitors all aspects of Department
procurement including category management and procurement policy. It ensures that
procurement processes are implemented consistently throughout the Department in
accordance with procurement rules and guidelines and that Divisions are complying with
procurement rules with a view to ensuring that the Department achieves efficiencies and
obtains optimum value for money. It also liaises with the Office of Government
Procurement (OGP) and facilitates implementation of OGP policies and procedures in line
with Public Sector Reform of procurement. The CPU maintains an up-to date register of
contracts on SAP and ensures that procurement expenditure is recorded accurately in
Accounts records.
The CPU since its establishment has worked with Divisions across every sector of the
Department to ensure that competitive processes are undertaken in accordance with EU
and national rules and, that specifications are drafted in a manner that minimises potential
risks of legal challenge while at the same time ensuring optimum efficiencies and value for
money are achieved. The CPU has also provided training to Divisions on procurement
requirements, has met with SMEs to discuss DAFM requirements and processes, and, due to
difficulties in accessing complete financial information on procurement categories and unit
costs, the CPU is rolling out a revised system to ensure specific procurement expenditure is
more readily identifiable through an accounting coding system and a central contracts
register.
It has been acknowledged by the Office of Government Procurement (OGP) that there are
difficulties in calculating precise savings arising specifically from procurement activities. The
CPU currently estimates that expenditure on procurement fell by at least 10%-15% over the
period 2010-2014.
Some of this decrease can undoubtedly be attributed to smarter
procurement practices including improved specifications, consolidating requirements, use of
central frameworks and demand challenge. (Other reasons for a decrease in procurement
expenditure include the reduction in animal disease resulting in decreased expenditure
across a number of sectors).
The work undertaken by the CPU facilitated the roll out of public sector reform policies
following the setting up of the OGP and the Department has representatives on a number of
OGP Category Councils and Sourcing teams.
ACCOUNTS DIVISION
Head of Division: Geraldine Mullen, Principal Officer
The role of Accounts Division is to process and maintain all appropriate accounting
records of the Department's financial transactions, by executing all Department
payment and receipt transactions promptly and accurately, including the payroll and
staff expenses and maintaining the integrity of the Accounts and the Corporate
Customer Systems, while also assessing and managing changing business
requirements and processes.
The Department’s Accounts Division is based in Cavan. It:
-
maintains the integrity of the Accounts and Corporate Customer Systems,
-
Maintains the accounting records for all Departmental payments, receipts and other
financial transactions,
-
executes all payment and receipts transactions, including the Department’s payroll,
travel and all staff related expenses,
-
Operates the Travel Desk , organising flights abroad on official business
-
Compiles the Annual Appropriation Account, Fishery Harbour Fund Account and Land
Commission Account,
-
Monitors overpayments and debts due to the Department
SAP Accounts System
The Department uses the SAP R/3 financial management system, the ISPS (Industry Solution
for the Public Sector) version, which caters for our specific national and EU accounting
requirements.
The SAP R/3 Accounts System fulfils the following critical functions:
 it provides the basis for the generation of all payments (except payroll) emanating
from the Department. In 2015 some 809,000 payments issued totalling €2.138bn.
 it maintains the Department’s books of account,
 it produces Statutory Reports for national and EU purposes,
 it provides enhanced facilities to enable management to monitor and control
financial resources,
 it provides reports for internal management purposes,
 it provides an automated system for managing the Department’s purchasing
function,
 it supports appropriate procedures for control and monitoring of finances,
 it maintains appropriate Audit Trails,
 it supports Cash and Accrual reporting,
 it has a ‘netting functionality’ whereby overpayments can be offset against
payments due to a customer. In 2015 approximately €21.6m was recovered in
overpayments using this facility.
Corporate Customer System
This system holds details of all the Department’s external customers, both financial & non
financial. Each customer record is validated and it holds details of all of the various roles and
business numbers that customer has with the Department. This customer data is used by
the other IT systems and is accessed by all areas within the Department.
ISSUES
1. Preparation of the annual (i) Appropriation Account, (ii) Fishery Harbour Centres Fund
Account and (iii) Land Commission Account for 2015, and following up any audit queries
and findings by the C & AG audit team.
2. On-line access to information on payments made by the Department
In April 2014 the Department’s online services for customers was extended to include a
new Financial Self-Services facility whereby customers can securely view their financial
transactions with the Department online.
The service also includes the option for
customers to pay any monies due to the Department on-line, using a debit or credit card.
Some 73,000 farmers, who have both access to the Department’s on-line services and
have provided the Department with their mobile telephone number, have been given
access to this Service. Accounts Division is examining ways of encouraging more farmers
to sign-up for this facility. It is planned to cease issuing paper remittance slips to farmers
who have on-line access to their payment details in the second half of 2016, and thus
reduce the costs associated with printing and posting some 300,000 remittance slips to
this group of farmers.
3. Introduction of Eircodes
The Corporate Customer System (CCS) side of the Division worked with a project team in
DCENR on the introduction of Eircodes in 2015, to ensure that all systems in the
Department can record the codes and that Eircodes codes for Department customers are
recorded on the CCS. So far some 22,000 Eircodes have been recorded and efforts are
continuing to gather the Eircodes of the other c.125, 000 Department clients through new
applications under the various schemes this year and from the Department’s on-line
facility for farmers to provide their own Eircodes.
4. Shared Services

This Department is scheduled to move its payroll and payment of travel expenses to
the newly set up Payroll Shared Service Centre (PSSC) for the delivery of payroll and
the payment of travel expenses to the Civil Service in June – September 2016.
Accounts staff is working with DPER’s project team to achieve a smooth transition to
the PSSC. When the full transition has been achieved, alterative work within the
Department will be required from some 30 staff presently working on payroll and
travel in the Division.

A Civil Service Finance Management Shared Services project is under way to move
the financial management functions of some 48 Department and Public Service bodies
to one financial Management shared services system (FMSSS). The tender for the new
financial management shared service system is expected to be awarded in March 2016.
This Department has specific EU Accreditation requirements as a Paying Agency,
unique EU financial reporting requirements, and other sector specific needs such as an
EU Intervention system. In view of the associated cost, effort and risks of replicating all
of these specific requirements in a new financial system, a final decision has not yet
been taken on whether to include/exclude this Department in the proposed shared
services project. The Request for Tender provided for the DAFM special requirements
to be costed separately, but the decision on DAFM will be taken within two years of
award of the Contact for the FMSSS. Should DAFM be included in the shared services
project, it will be one of the final Departments to move c. 2019.
INTERNAL AUDIT UNIT
Head of Division: Colm McKiernan, Principal Officer
The primary role of the Internal Audit Unit (IAU) is to give assurance to the Secretary
General, the Audit Committee and senior management as to the adequacy of the
Department’s internal control systems.
The Internal Audit Unit has four distinct work areas:

Internal Audit

IT Audit

Scrutiny

Food and Feed Controls under Article 4.6 of Regulation (EC) No. 882/2004.
The Director of Internal Audit reports on a quarterly basis to the Audit Committee and
periodically to the Management Advisory Committee and to the Accreditation Review
Group. These reports include all aspects of the Unit’s work and key findings of the work
undertaken, as well as indicating progress against the annual plan. The Director of Internal
Audit has direct access to the Secretary General.
Role of the Audit Committee
The Audit Committee was established to advise the Secretary General on the internal audit
policies and the management of risk appropriate to the functioning of the Department. The
Charter of the Audit Committee sets out its role and terms of reference. The Committee has
three broad roles, namely:

To advise on the suitability and robustness of the Department’s internal control
systems;

to advise on the operation of the internal audit function within the Department

to examine and monitor the implementation of the Department’s risk management
strategy.
Membership of the Audit Committee
The Committee is composed of external independent members (currently Mr Bill
Cunningham (Chair), former partner of PriceWaterhouseCoopers Ireland, Ms Dairine Walsh,
a solicitor who worked for Beauchamp Solicitors, Mr Leo Martin, former Chief Operating
Officer of the Grafton Group and Mr Aidan Dunning, former Secretary General of the
Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources), representatives of other
Departments (currently a Principal Officer from the Department of Public Expenditure and
Reform dealing with the Department’s Vote) and a member of the Department’s
Management Advisory Committee (MAC).
Operation of the Audit Committee
The Committee meets on a quarterly basis and receives reports, plans and other
information from the Internal Audit Unit. Presentations are also made at its meetings by
senior officials in the Department, the external Certifying Body and officials from the Office
of the Comptroller and Auditor General. The Chairman of the Committee usually meets with
the Secretary General on one or two occasions during the year and attends one MAC
meeting. The Audit Committee publishes an Annual Report. The 2015 report will be
published shortly.
LEGAL SERVICES DIVISION
Head of Division: Derek Elliott, Principal Officer
Mission: To provide a pro-active and quality legal and general advisory service to the
Minister and all Divisions in the Department and to manage the orderly completion of
the work of the former Irish Land Commission and to continue to carry out the residual
statutory functions exercisable under the Land Purchase Acts.
Structure of Division
The Division is divided into Legal Services (based in Dublin) and Lands/Records Branch
(based in Cavan with Records Section based in Portlaoise).
Legal Services
Legal Services Division provides legal and general advice to the Minister and all Divisions in
the Department. The Division manages court actions in the Minister’s name (other than
certain criminal prosecutions such as fisheries offences). Legal Services Division acts as an
interlocutor between departmental officials and the State’s legal representatives. Lawyers
in the Division represent the Department in quasi judicial tribunals such as Agriculture
Appeals and Workplace Relations Commission. The Division provides advice on property
rights (including the assignment of herd numbers), property law including leases:
employment and contract law; EU law including State Aids and interventions in the Court of
Justice; debt management; data protection; freedom of information and application of
various State policies and corporate governance measures.
Legal Services also drafts some 60 statutory instruments each year; is responsible for
steering primary legislation through the Oireachtas and ensuring the lawfulness of statutory
notices. The Division also provides guidance on regulatory impact assessments and use of
consultative processes required under statute.
Legal Services Division prepares Vesting Orders and fulfils the role of the former Examiner of
title in the former Irish Land Commission. It is responsible for the implementation of the
Agriculture Debentures Act 1934. The Division is also preparing over half million Fair Rent
Orders made under the 1870 and 1881 Lands Acts for transfer to the National Archives.
Lands /Records Branches
The Irish Land Commission (ILC) was abolished in 1999, on foot of the provisions of the Irish
Land Commission (Dissolution) Act, 1992 which transferred the residual judicial powers and
functions to the President of the High Court and the corresponding civil powers and
functions to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Under Ministerial orders the
principal specific statutory functions of the ILC were delegated by the Minister to designated
grades of officer in this Department. As successor to the ILC the Minister/Department are
responsible for the streamlining and orderly completion of its work where possible and the
carrying out of residual services and continuing statutory functions exercisable under the
Land Purchase Acts.
Ongoing work includes the disposal of land including turbary rights, the management and
disposal of other land that is legally vested in trustees but where the Minister exercises
certain residual powers, vesting the title of purchasers, collecting outstanding annuities,
preparation of Judicial Amending Orders, completion of commonage division and rearrangement schemes, processing requisitions mainly from the legal profession and the
general public for copy documents/information and discharging the functions of the Public
Trustee.
ISSUES
Legal Services Division is involved in many topical and key issues raised by other Divisions
however a key issue for the Division is the 31st Dail Public Account Committee’s
recommendations in relation to a particular case. The individual in question has initiated
legal proceedings against the Minister but the PAC issued recommendations requesting that
the Department pay compensation to him, arrange for an independent review of his case
and enter mediation with him Apart from prejudicing the Minister’s case, these
recommendations could be viewed as breaching the Constitutional separation of powers by
interfering in the judicial role. Counsel’s advice is awaited on the matter.
AGRICULTURE APPEALS OFFICE
Head of Division: Angela Robinson
The mission of the office is the provision of an independent, accessible, fair and timely
appeals service for scheme applicants under designated Department of Agriculture, Food
and the Marine schemes, and to deliver that service in an efficient and courteous
manner.
The Agriculture Appeals Office is an independent agency established in 2002. The
Agriculture Appeals Act 2001, along with the Agriculture Appeals Regulations 2002, as
amended, set down the functions of the Director and the Appeals Officers, the decisions
that may be appealed (currently 52 schemes) and the procedures to be followed in respect
of appeals.
The office is staffed by a Director, 11 Appeals Officers and 5 support staff. Under the
provisions of the Act, Appeals Officers are independent in the performance of their
functions.
Independence of Office

The office was established on a statutory basis

The office is based in its own dedicated, separate, building in Portlaoise.

Appeals Officers are appointed by the Minister.

The Director is appointed from an open competition organised by the Public
Appointments Service.

Under the provisions of the 2001 Act, Appeals Officers “shall be independent in
carrying out their function”.

The statistics show the number of cases allowed/ partially allowed by the Office.
One of the main features of the office is the right of an Appellant to an oral hearing where
an Appeals Officer brings the Appellant (and their representatives) and the Department
officials together to hear both sides of a case and to ask questions. Oral hearings, chaired by
the Appeals Officer are private, informal and held in a location convenient to the appellant.
In 2015, 307 oral hearings were held. In some cases oral hearings are not requested.
Following consideration of all of the facts of a case, comprehensive decision letters are
issued to both the Appellant and the Department. In 2015, 619 appeals were received, a
small increase on 2014. 675 cases were closed in the same period which included appeals
outstanding from the previous years.
Ten Year Trend
1036
886
427 394 481 692 832 736
610 619
2006 2007
2008 2009
2010 2011
2012 2013
2014 2015
Number of appeals received
Outcomes – Of the appeals decided during 2015, a total of 41% of appeals were allowed,
partially allowed or revised by the Department and 39% were disallowed. The remaining
20% were subsequently withdrawn or deemed to be invalid.
Outcome of Appeals received in 2015
Number
39%
41%
Appeals Allowed, Partially
Allowed or Revised by the
Department
Appeals Withdrawn, Invalid
and Out of Time
20%
Appeals Disallowed
ISSUES
Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS) Appeals Committee
In addition to its statutory functions, the office operates the Land Parcel Identification
System Appeals Committee, established in 2013. This Committee, chaired by Mr Padraig
Gibbons, is also comprised of Appeals Officers. These cases are dealt with by way of
committee - each individual case is assigned to an Appeals Officer and the individual
recommendation agreed by the committee. To date this committee has dealt with 670
cases.
2016 Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) Appeals Committee
The Department are proposing that certain appeals generally relating to the establishment
of entitlements under the BPS be dealt with in a committee similar to the LPIS Committee.
This is to ensure timely decisions are made in a large number of cases in a consistent
manner.
Sean Keevey, Director of Information Technology
Office phone No:
Mobile No:
Responsible for the following Divisions
Division
IMT- Direct Farm Payments
Systems (IACS)
IMT- Infrastructure and
Operations
IMT- Customer, Financial,
Fisheries & Animal Health
Systems
Head of Division
Alan King
Darren Murray
Joe Hanly
Office No
Mobile No
INFORMATION MANAGEMENT AND TECHNOLOGY
Heads of Divisions: Joe Hanly, Darren Murray and Alan King, Principal Officers
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) is critically dependent on
Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in the following main areas:

Agriculture Payments: Direct Payments to Farmers and Market Supports to the Food
Export Trade.

Animal Identification, Health, Traceability and Disease Eradication.

Agriculture Field Inspections and Testing e.g. TB testing.

Fisheries Control and Licensing.

Afforestation grants and premia.

Direct online services via the ‘Agfood.ie’ and ‘Fishingnet.ie’ portals for customers
and partners (e.g. Farmers, Agents, Meat Factories, Marts, Export locations, Private
Veterinary Practitioners, Animal Tag Vendors Foresters, Fish buyers etc.).

Finance and accounting systems which underpin EU accreditation and national fiscal
requirements and other corporate support functions.

Office systems including email, intranet and internet services.
The delivery of ICT services within the Department is managed by the Information
Management and Technology (IMT) Group. The delivery of ICT in the Department is aligned
with the overall strategies, goals and objectives of the Department and the Strategy for
Information Management and Technology 2013-2016, which sets out the detailed goals and
objectives for IMT. Appendix 1 sets out the main objectives of the IMT Divisions for 2016,
which in addition to the day to day delivery of services, is dominated to a large extent by the
continued implementation of the Pillar 1 and Pillar 2 CAP 2015-2020 schemes. Appendix 2
gives diagrammatical representations of some of the ICT services and systems that we
provide. Demonstrations of the actual systems can be provided to the Minister at any stage.
ICT infrastructure and systems in DAFM support the administration of €2 billion in EU and
Exchequer funds annually and underpin a huge range of farming and agri-food industry
supports, as well as providing animal health and traceability, disease control and food safety
systems for a sector with a turnover of €26 billion and €12 billion in annual exports. The
Department sees the continued exploitation of ICT, both within the Department in the
administration of our schemes and services and in collaboration with the agri-food industry,
as a major driver in the achievement of the Food Wise 2025 targets.
IMT in the Department has a commitment to exploit technology opportunities and servicefocused initiatives to improve the quality of service delivery for both the farming community
and the agri-food industry. The advanced use of ICT in DAFM has contributed significantly
to substantial savings in the costs of running the Department, it has facilitated the provision
of shared services to various State Agencies and other Government Departments and
enabled ongoing delivery of existing services, while also planning for future service delivery
in the context of Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and Common Fisheries Policy (CFP)
reform and in meeting Food Wise 2025 growth targets.
Specifically, in relation to animal health and traceability, IMT systems provide traceability
for circa 9 million animal events/movements, and manage up to 12 million animal health
tests per year.
Public Service Reform Plan
In relation to ICT, the Department has committed under the Public Service Reform Plan
2014 and the Public Service ICT Strategy to:

Further increase the online up-take of our ICT offerings and reduce the
administration burden on farmers and the agriculture industry1
1
The Department has continued to improve and promote use of its online services for the existing and the new CAP
schemes such the new Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) (70% online uptake in 2015), Greening (100% online applications in
2015) GLAS (100% online applications in 2015), TAMS (100% online applications in 2015), AIM, AFIT, IFORIS iNet and
Nitrates systems and also encourage further uptake of its mobile text messaging service. The Department also has a
presence on social media such as Twitter and Facebook.

Continue to provide ICT services for our Non Commercial State Sponsored Bodies
such as Teagasc, Sea Fisheries Protection Authority, Bord Iascaigh Mhara etc.

Move to service provision online as a norm for business processes and service
delivery and this is a primary focus in the delivery of the new CAP reform schemes
e.g. GLAS, BPS, TAMS and Knowledge Transfer.

Further increase its ICT Shared Service offerings to other civil and public sector
organisations.2

Continue to re-use customer, land, animal and fisheries data across multiple
systems, divisions and food/fishing industries.

Continue to enhance of our ICT services to facilitate the programme of managing
overall staffing levels within the Department.

Progress Government Strategy in relation to Cloud Computing, including carrying out
a feasibility study (in conjunction with a number of other large government
Departments) on the construction a build to share private cloud data centre.
IMT’s Current Sourcing Strategy
The successful development of our ICT systems has been achieved by a judicious mix of both
internally and externally sourced ICT staff. The general ICT sourcing principles adopted by
the Department have been to use external contractors for certain specialised roles (such as
Java programming, Geographical Information Systems development and database
administration) and for the vast proportion of its application programming and to retain the
higher-value tasks (such as Project Management, Systems Analysis, Technical Architecture
etc.) in-house.
2
DAFM continues to provide ICT services for other Government Departments and Agencies. DAFM provides full ICT
Infrastructure and help desk facilities (over 8,500 calls since its inception in June 2011) to the Department of
Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. DAFM also assists the Department of the Taoiseach in management of its
ICT network and the bulk of telephony services. A diagram showing these shared services is at Appendix 2. Since 2013
DAFM has provided hosting facilities for the Government Networks core network and the Shared Services Payroll Project.
The payroll shared services currently manages the payroll to over 70,000 separate people ((covering inter alia Garda,
DCENR, DTTAS & DJEI) and by 2016 this figure should rise in excess of 100,000 to current and retired public servants.
In addition, the Department externally outsources the task of registering paper based Calf
Birth events (circa 1m (46%) in 2015). The registration and animal events are recorded by an
external company directly onto the Departments’ Animal Identification and Movement
(AIM) system which interacts seamlessly with the Department’s Animal Health Computer
System (AHCS) to provide real-time data on animal events.
How IMT operates in the Department
In recent years, the Department has delivered an unrivalled ICT portfolio of new integrated,
eGovernment applications.
As a result the Department now has a more flexible
eGovernment based environment, which was achieved by incrementally upgrading and
replacing older applications and ICT infrastructure. As a result of this work the Department
has benefited greatly in recent years from the exploitation of technology and information
systems to underpin its operations.
Innovative IT systems delivered in recent years have targeted significant sources of labour
within the Department, automated processes, provided staff savings, eliminated
duplication, improved controls and maximised information re-use across the Department
and agri-food sector.
The Departments’ ICT capability has contributed towards a significant reduction in staff
numbers, by successfully implementing several integrated corporate systems [such as, the
Corporate Customer System, the Basic Payment Scheme (SPS),Generic Claims Process
System (GCPS), AIM, AHCS, Corporate Customer System (CCS) and Integrated Forestry
Information System (IFORIS)] and facilitated the successful integration of the ICT Fisheries
environment.
Through the technological maturity of the Department and its positioning to offer agility and
flexibility to its various business divisions, this Department, has to date, met its challenges
and delivered changes in an efficient, effective and timely manner. Maintaining and
enhancing this level of response and adaptability is the core strategy of IMT over the coming
years.
In particular, in 2015 the Department successfully launched some 20 new CAP Schemes in
an extremely short period and to very tight timelines. This could only have been achieved
by the support of extensive online end to end computer schemes, which allowed these
schemes to be processed with the least manual intervention possible. The Department
continues to be among the first in Europe to make payments for these schemes.
IMT Governance Structure
The IMT Group is divided into three main operational areas and the overall responsibility for
the group lies with the Director of IMT as demonstrated below:
The IT Steering Committee (ITSC) is a Management Advisory Committee (MAC) sub-group
that directs all IMT activity within the Department. The Director of IMT is also a MAC
member and is responsible for the strategic direction of the IMT Group and promotion of
the use of ICT solutions and innovations throughout the Department. Accordingly the
Director regularly reports to the MAC on IMT activities and prioritisations.
As part of ensuring the IMT Activities are aligned to the aims and objective of the
Department, IMT has begun developing a new ICT Strategy for the years 2017 to 2020. This
exercise will help ensure that the Departments ICT Infrastructure is fit-for-purpose, keeps up
with the massive changes in ICT that are currently taking place and continues to provide the
Department with the services that it needs into the long term future.
At the beginning of every year the IMT priorities are collated, presented, discussed and
sanctioned by the ITSC. The ITSC meets quarterly to monitor progress on strategic projects
and every meeting includes a briefing on IMT project updates.
Appendix 1
IMT Priorities for 2016 as agreed by the Department’s IT Steering Committee
Direct Payments Systems:

Continued delivery and support of the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)
systems (Established Entitlements, National Reserve, Basic Payment, Greening,
Young Farmer and Areas of Natural Constraint, GLAS, TAMS, Knowledge Transfer,
BDGP etc.)

Continue to increase the online usage of on all of the CAP Schemes.

Maintain other payment systems such as Rural Environment Protection Scheme
(REPS), Disadvantaged Area Scheme (DAS), Sheep Schemes and the Dairy Efficiency
Programme (DEP) to provide support to business areas in the delivery of National
and EU Schemes.

Support the older RDP schemes (Agri-Environment Options Scheme (AEOS), Targeted
Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS) and Rural Environment Protection
Scheme (REPS)).

Delivery of an integrated and comprehensive reporting system to meet the
requirements of the EU with regard to Evaluation Indicators for the RDP 2015-2020..
Geographical Information System (GIS) / Land Parcel Information System (LPIS):

Commence development of a new system to replace the existing aging system. This
is a significant task and will take up to two years to undertake.

Continue to support the existing LPIS which underpins the various Pillar I & II
schemes.

Participate in any overall review of LPIS based data with a view to improving its
accuracy and consistency.
Agriculture Field Inspection Testing (AFIT) System:

Continued delivery and maintenance of facilities to cater for additional inspection
processes, including the inspections required to support new CAP / RDP. Significant
new facilities are also envisaged for Meat Plants.

Expand the Remote Data Capture (RDC) system which allows inspectors’ access to
AFIT from remote locations.
Animal Health Computer System (AHCS):

Progress development of new functionality to cater for the management of Class A
disease outbreaks. Implement modifications to existing disease control functionality.

Provision of services for further Laboratory system integration.

Modification to system required based on further requirements of the Regional
Office Reorganisation Project.
Animal Identification & Movement (AIM):

Completion of Calf Registration module, including facilities to enable keepers and
DVOs to register imported animals.

Provision of web-based links with Department of Agriculture and Rural Development
(Northern Ireland) for the transfer of import/export data and also for data transfers
to the Irish Cattle Breeders Federation (ICBF).

Continue to increase uptake of AIM online services with the intention to have up to
1.4million (60%) calves registered online in 2016 (54% in 2015).
SAP Accounting System:

Facilitate the rollout of the Financial Self Service application (SAP Biller Direct) to all
online registered vendors and customers for online payment and account enquiry
activities.
Integrated Fisheries Information System (IFIS)

Implement approved measures under the operational programme of the European
Maritime Fisheries Fund (EMFF) (2015 – 2020).

Implement UN/CEFACT standardisation for the Electronic Recording System (ERS)
and logsheet returns.

Implement FLEET registration Project for recording and reporting additional fleet
information.

Implement Licence project for Irish Vessels operating in foreign waters.
IMT Operations and Technical Support:

Upgrade the Department’s Computer Applications and Data Storage Environment

Continue to develop second-site Disaster Recovery facility for core ICT business systems.

Continue to maintain and deliver high quality stable and secure ICT operating systems
and infrastructure to support the Department’s core business.

Build and support underlying ICT infrastructure for shared payroll application in
co-operation with Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and Department of
Justice under a shared services agreement.
PC Support Infrastructure:

Continue to maintain & support the hardware and software required to allow for
electronic development, management & communications, being mindful of developing
and future technology.

Continue to provide Help Desk services 24x7.

Upgrade the desktop environment where appropriate.

Maintain and develop IT infrastructure support under the shared services agreements
with State Bodies (e.g. SFPA and DCENR).
ICT Infrastructure:

Upgrade the Department’s network infrastructure to over 220 sites nationally.

Support, maintain and build the data and voice telecommunications infrastructure for
the Department, including continued rollout of IP telephony to all the remaining sites in
scope

Maintain and monitor the Department’s network security infrastructure (firewalls etc)

Continue to maintain and develop IT infrastructure support under the shared services
agreements with State Bodies, DCENR and Department of the Taoiseach.

Further develop and expand the Department’s server programme including Disaster
Recovery facilities.

Continue to support, maintain and build the technical infrastructure that underpins the
Department’s eGovernment services and Microsoft.

Maintain and monitor email and access to internet services.

Upgrade the Department’s Email environment for both the DAFM users and for the
relevant ICT shared services clients.
IT Security Unit (ITSU):

Achieve ISO27001 international standard for Information System Security as mandated
by EU.

Review and implement security enhancements where appropriate.

Liaise with the auditors (EU Certifying Body and Internal Audit Unit) in relation to IT
audits and IT security matters and co-ordinate responses from IT areas with relation to
audit findings.
Appendix 2
Delivery Timelines for functionality to support CAP 2015-2020 Schemes
Key Development & Business Milestones Jan-Apr
2016
GLAS I – Open to external users
OFS - 2nd run of 1st instalment payments
GLAS I - Issue Approval Packs (Maps)
GLAS I - 2nd run of 1st instalment payments
KT – Issue Approval Letters for Dairy, Beef & Equine
KT- Sheep, Tillage & Poultry Schemes Launch
CF -Scheme Open for online Applications
GLAS II – Issue Approval Packs (Maps)
KT- Sheep, Tillage & Poultry Schemes Closed
TAMS II – Pre-RASS Approvals
GLAS II - Open GLAS II Reassess
CF – Scheme Closed for online Applications
GLAS II – Issue Approval Letters
Delivery Date
Notes
22-02-2016
24-02-2016
25-02-2016
04-03-2016
04-03-2016
14-03-2016
21-03-2016
22-03-2016
25-03-2016
29-03-2016
13-04-2016
15-04-2016
26-01-2016
Complete
Complete
Complete
Complete
Complete
Complete
Complete
Complete
Complete
Complete
Complete
Complete
Complete
Key Development & Business Milestones May 2016
Onwards
Planned Delivery
Date
Notes
GLAS – Green Low-Carbon Agri-Environment
Scheme
GLAS I – 2015 Balancing Payments
GLAS+ - Payments
GLAS – Rare Breeds and LESS
GLAS I – 2016 Advance Payments
GLAS II – 2016 Advance Payments
GLAS III - System Open
GLAS III – System Close
GLAS III – Issue Approval Letters
23-05-2016
23-05-2016
15-08-2016
30-10-2016
30-10-2016
Mid-October 2016
Mid-December 2016
25-01-2017
TAMS - Targeted Agricultural Modernisation
Schemes
TAMS II – Claim Application and Processing
TAMS II – Payments
TAMS II – Tillage Scheme
06-06-2016
21-07-2016
20-06-2016
KT – Knowledge Transfer Programme
Registration of Scheme Participants
Group Meetings Commence (formal scheme launch)
Payments
16-05-2016
01-06-2016
July 2017
CFS – Collaborative Farming Scheme
Commencement of Payments
July/August 2016
OFS – Organic Farming Scheme
OFS II – 2015 Balancing Payment
OFS II – Issue Approval Letters
OFS I & II 2016 Advance Payment
OFS I & II 2016 Balancing Payment
OFS I & II 2016 Balancing Payment
31-05-2016
October 2016
28-10-2016
December 2016
December 2016
BDGP - Beef Data & Genomics Programme
2015 Payment
2015 Final Payment
2016 Payment
14-02-2016
15-06-2016
December 2016
BPS – Basic Payment Scheme
Closing Date
3% Balancing Payment
2015 Advance Payment
2015 Balancing Payment
2015 Greening Payment
Young Farmers Payment
2015 Protein Payment
16-05-2016
27-05-2016
14-10-2016
01-12-2016
01-12-2016
01-12-2016
16-12-2016
ANC – Areas of Natural Constraint
Closing date for receipt of applications
Commencement of 2016 Payments
16-05-2016
21-09-2016
ASC - Areas of Specific Constraints (Islands)
Closing date for receipt of applications
Commencement of 2016 Payments
16-05-2016
21-09-2015
AEOS – Agri-Environment Options Scheme
AEOS I/II/III – Payment application Closing Date
AEOS I/II/III – 2016 Payments
15-05-2016
November 2016
DeMinimis
Beef BVD Payments
Dairy BVD Payments
November 2016
November 2016
Until 30-06-2016
Miscellaneous
Temporary Aid Pigmeat Payments
Dairy YFS Top-Up Payment
Dairy YFS Top-Up Payment
28-04-2016
28-04-2016
May 2016
Appendix 3
Some of the Department’s main ICT services and systems