Fianna Fáil Senator in Louth, Erin McGreehan, has called for financial assistance to be provided to farmers in North Louth severely impacted by floods in the region.
Speaking in the Seanad with Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Pippa Hackett, Senator McGreehan said: “I want to highlight the plight of north Louth farmers who have been severely impacted by the recent floods and the importance of providing financial assistance to these farmers. This cannot be overstated. It is crucial for their individual recovery and for the overall agricultural sector, the regional economy, the local economy and the importance that farming families play in the north Louth economy.
“Recent floods have left a trail of destruction. Crops and fodder have been absolutely destroyed. Valuable infrastructure such as fields and fences have been damaged and completely changed. This catastrophe has left many farmers not knowing how to rebuild their lives or their businesses.”
Responding to Senator McGreehan, Minister Hackett said: “There are flood schemes that can be rolled out by the Departments of Social Protection and Enterprise, Trade and Employment where areas meet the threshold of severe flood damage, but there is no such scheme in place for agriculture. This is something that the Minister is reflecting on, given the challenges around adverse weather, future climate change and the potential need to have a scheme designed that can be utilised in such circumstances.
“The Government is fully aware of the effects of these floods and of the subsequent devastation and stress caused to the farming community as well as to the broader community in impacted areas. It has not been possible to compensate all of those impacted by last year’s weather. However, my Department has a number of schemes available that are assisting farmers to adapt to climate change. The best support we can provide for those impacted by flooding is to work together to mitigate the risk by future-proofing possible flood events.”
Concluding, Senator McGreehan said: “Financial assistance is essential to farmers to repair and replace damaged equipment and infrastructure. The flooding is a natural disaster. I do not use that term lightly. It is devastating. I am calling on the Minister of State and the Minister to intervene and support the farmers in north Louth.”
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