Measures Set Out To Assist Farmers Affected By Flooding

The Chairman of the IFA Flood Project Team Tom Turley is today attending a meeting convened by Teagasc to discuss the impact of recent flooding and the measures needed to help farmers affected.

At the meeting today in Athlone, Tom Turley will set out a number of key actions needed to address the severe problems for farmers and rural communities as a result of the widespread flooding. IFA is calling for:

• a flood relief fund to be established, which must be much broader than the one announced last week;
• farmers must also be included to help them offset the cost of damage to their buildings and loss of fodder;
• flood-relief projects which are still at planning stage such as south Galway and Bandon, Co Cork will have to be fast-tracked;
• Teagasc should work closely with farmers in those areas that have been affected. There is a helpline 076-1064408 and farmers should avail of it;
• all outstanding farm payments to be made to the 500 farmers in flood-affected areas whose payment is due to them.

Tom Turley has also re-iterated his call for a single authority for the management of our river systems to avoid inflicting more hardship on communities.