The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) is currently analysing surveys carried out by Teagasc staff of farms impacted by localised flooding last year in the Cooley Peninsula.
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, told the Dáil this week that the reports compiled for DAFM detail the impact of flooding on individual land holdings situated in the Cooley Peninsula.
Exceptionally heavy rainfall and storms last October and November resulted in “unprecedented rainfall” on already saturated ground in the region during 2023.
In response to a question raised by the Sinn Féin TD for Louth, Ruairí Ó Murchú, Minister McConalogue detailed that during these back to back storms the River Flurry and other smaller streams “burst their banks and washed away field fencing and gateways”.
“The heavy rain also caused landslides from the Cooley Mountains which deposited large rocks, gravel and debris on agricultural lands in addition to loss and damage to stored fodder and fertiliser supplies.
“In these cases, land users have not been able to utilise agricultural lands without carrying out remedial works and some have reported fodder shortage,” the minister added.
He also highlighted that since last year access to these lands has been “restricted” for farmers and as a result they have been unable to build up fodder supplies.
Minister McConalogue added: “These farmers have also seen the same poor weather conditions as other farmers across the country with exceptional rainfall over several months and the challenges that brings”.
Deputy Ó Murchú said a scheme is urgently needed for farmers impacted by the flooding and that they also need to be “able to get compensation”.
DAFM
According to the minister once DAFM completes its analysis of the surveys to assess the damage done to individual farmers and land he will follow up on the department’s assessment and the next steps will be identified.
Separately Deputy Ó Murchú also asked Minister McConalogue if he had any intention of “revisiting the foot and mouth compensation scheme” for farmers who had been affected by the cull a large number of animals in the Cooley Peninsula to contain an outbreak of the disease.
It is estimated that 48,744 sheep, 166 goats, 1,123 cattle, 2,908 pigs, and 280 deer were culled within the peninsula area and a further 3,826 sheep and 207 cattle were also culled outside the area.
The Minister said DAFM believes that “flock owners were appropriately compensated financially for their losses at the time”.
“The compensation payments made to farmers in 2001 were clearly understood by recipients to be in full and final settlement of any losses they had suffered as a consequence of the depopulation.
“Consequently, this is a matter which I regard as being satisfactorily concluded and we can see no legal basis or other justification to revisit the foot and mouth compensation scheme, more than two decades later,” he added.