Farmers affected by the severe flooding in recent months have until this Friday, February 12 to apply for the Emergency Flood Damage Relief measure.

This relief is to target the small number of farmers that experienced unique and additional difficulties of the flooding.

This measure will provide financial assistance to cover for example the uninsured direct costs arising where livestock was lost to the flooding.

Assistance will also be provided to cover the rental costs incurred where livestock had to be moved off farms and into alternative premises due to potential welfare issues, the Department has confirmed.

On a small number of farms where the effects of the flooding were particularly acute, damage may have been sustained to some structures and fittings.

In these cases, the Department has said that the costs incurred in repairing such damage may be eligible for support.

In January, the Minister for Agriculture, Simon Coveney said that while he visited the worst affected areas, he became aware that in addition to the loss of fodder, a small number of farmers experienced further difficulties on their farms and clearly require some additional assistance.

“To address these difficulties I have introduced an Emergency Flood Damage Relief measure.”

The Minister also said that it is not possible to address all circumstances of flood damage to farms but the measures that he announced are specifically target those that have borne the brunt of the flooding.

Application forms for the measure are available on the Department’s website and from the Department’s local office network.

They are also available from Teagasc offices where advisors will continue to provide one to one advice to those impacted by flooding.