The Ulster Unionist Agriculture spokesperson Jo-Anne Dobson MLA has raised concerns about DARD’s preparations surrounding its proposals to move its headquarters to Ballykelly.

Mrs Dobson made her comments after she questioned DARD officials at this week’s Agriculture and Rural Development Committee. She said: “I was extremely surprised to hear in answer to my questions that at this stage in planning for the new headquarters, little or no thought has been given to functions changing within DARD as a result of the coming reform of CAP.

“The administrative functions within the Department could change drastically as a result of CAP reform and to not plan for these changes when considering the form and function of the new headquarters would be morally and financially irresponsible.

“I was also concerned that when I asked what physical size the new headquarters was likely to be when compared to Dundonald House that again the officials were unable to give me an answer and merely said that an economic appraisal would be carried out to determine this.

“No farm could ever run its business in this way. A farmer would never decide to build a new shed, have a financial figure in his head for the total cost, but yet not know what size the shed was going to be when construction ended or indeed what purpose it was going to serve.

“Farmers across Northern Ireland will be rightly wondering what real benefits this decision on a new DARD Headquarters will bring to them as after all DARD’s primary aim should be to support the local farmers and processors. It is worrying to me as a member of the Stormont Agriculture Committee that so many questions remain unanswered, not least the eventual cost of this whole project.

I am calling on the Minister, Michelle O’Neill to ensure that the plans for her new Headquarters are ‘future proofed’ to meet the coming challenges of the local agricultural sector. I urge her to take immediate and decisive action to address the outstanding questions which remain unanswered, which include the financial costs, physical size, internal functions and indeed staffing arrangements for existing DARD staff and training for new staff to ensure farmers are not affected by further delays and administrative errors.”