The Department of Agriculture last night defended its actions against farmers who used "angel dust" and other illegal growth promoters for livestock, following a magazine article critical of EU support payments made in 1998 to some of those convicted.
The Department said it was concerned that the article in Magill created a mistaken impression about the determination and severity with which the Department viewed breaches of the legislation.
The article had said that one in four farmers who received the highest compensation in agricultural subsidies had criminal records for using illegal growth-promoters. The Department said the payments referred to were governed by the relevant EU regulation which at the time of the offences - before 1996 - did not allow the Department to withhold payments of EU aid. It had no discretion in the matter.
Its main sanction was to bring prosecutions under the Animal Remedies Act and this had been vigorously done. It had secured convictions in 207 cases, with fines totalling £647,000, while prison terms were imposed in 58 cases.