DARD MUST RESPOND TO OMAGH COUNCIL CONCERNS

Omagh Sinn Fein Cllr Mickey Mc Anespie says that time is overdue for the Department of Agriculture & Rural Development (DARD) to respond to representations made to it by a delegation of councillors from Omagh District Council on a number of agricultural issues which are adversely impacting upon the farming and rural community in general.


Cllr Mc Anespie said,

“A month has now passed since a delegation of Omagh District Councillors met with senior officials from DARD to press them for action on a range of issues which are having an adverse impact upon the farming and rural community in general. At the meeting the DARd officials gave a commitment to detail the Council’s concerns to the Minister David Cairns MP and respond in full, to the issues raised. “However, there has still been no response to the issues we raised and I am now publicly calling upon DARD to follow through on the commitments they gave at this meeting.


“Omagh Councillors welcomed the recent lifting of the export ban but called on DARD to reduce the bureaucracy surrounding the movement of live cattle. The delegation emphasised that the system in place in the six counties is putting farmers here at a severe disadvantage when compared to our counterparts in the 26 counties where everything is being done to facilitate the farmer and to stimulate the economy. Information was sought from the DARD Officials regarding the Department’s performance on this issue compared to its counterparts in the 26 counties.


“During the meeting the delegation also lobbied DARD Officials for greater clarity on the processing of applications submitted under the Farm Nutrient Management Scheme, in particular those submitted after 8 March 2006. The considerable problems associated with the Single Farm Payments scheme were also raised with the Officials and information was sought on the Department’s plans to make the scheme less bureaucratic and to resolve the errors in claims which have led to the withholding of payments.


“DARD Officials were called upon to engage meaningfully with Councils on arrangements for the transfer to the new Councils of the rural development function following RPA and, indeed, on arrangements for the interim period. Omagh Councillors also highlighted the uncertain future faced by the farming industry and the reliance on that industry in rural areas West of the Bann. The importance of real and meaningful initiatives to ensure that farms and the rural way of life can be sustained through the generations was emphasised and Officials were asked to update the Council on the Department’s proposals to ensure a long term future for the farming industry which has been made even more difficult by the introduction of PPS 14 which will severely restrict home building in rural areas, and will have a detrimental effect on rural communities and families across the six counties.