Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA) president Denis Drennan said that members of farm organisations should be eligible and should be “prioritised” for selection on the new Agriculture Appeals Review Panel.
The bill establishing the appeals panel has now moved to the Seanad after it was passed in the Dáil this week.
The panel will conduct reviews of decisions made by appeals officers under the Agricultural Appeals Act 2001, and will be established by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue.
The review panel will consist of a chairperson and at least five ordinary members with experience relevant to the functions of the panel, and the director, or the deputy director of agriculture appeals if designated by the director.
Drennan said that “much attention” will focus on the expertise and background of the five ordinary members, and that the development will “stand or fall on the confidence it comes to enjoy” amongst the farming community.
He said that those reviewing the cases must understand the natures of the cases before them and must be “absolutely independent” of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).
ICMSA
“ICMSA is happy to trust in the ability of the Appeals Review Panel and we wish them the best in their deliberations. But it’s only fair to point out that the work and efficiency that we hope they will bring rests primarily on their own expertise and their understanding of farming and sense of fairness.
“We firmly hold that the selection process for these five individuals should specifically include members of farm organisations given their absolute expertise in the structure of farm schemes”, Drennan said.
The bill states that a revision may be made only if requested by a party to the appeal during the period of six months beginning with the date on which the decision of the appeals officer was given.
The decisions of the review panel shall be determined by a majority of the votes of the members present. In the case of an equal division of votes, the chairperson shall have a second or casting vote.