The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has said that it is continuing to monitor flooding in Co. Wexford which destroyed winter tillage crops.
Despite Met Éireann issuing a Yellow Rainfall Warning for Christmas Day, locals described rain of “biblical proportions” in the county.
Wexford IFA chair, Jer O’Mahony told Agriland that four inches of rain fell within five hours at his farm in Wellingtonbridge on Christmas Day morning.
Four days after the downpour, hundreds of acres of prime tillage ground remained under water, with the Office of Public Works (OPW) using pumps in a bid to ease the situation.
Flooding
The DAFM said that it “monitors the impact of weather on agriculture and farming both nationally and regionally on an ongoing basis”.
The department said that the flooding in Wexford and the south east region created significant challenges, in particular to local road networks, land and farms that are adjacent to rivers.
“There has been a significant improvement in water levels in the period since then and the department continues to monitor circumstances,” DAFM stated.
The statement did not specify if tillage farmers who have lost crops in the flooding have contacted DAFM seeking support.
However, the department said it “operates a number of specific supports for the tillage sector”, including through the Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Schemes (TAMS).
It also noted that 14% of funding under the Straw Incorporation Measure (SIM) was paid out to Wexford farmers.
DAFM said that it “will continue to monitor weather-related impacts as they arise this winter”.
Meanwhile, the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Leo Varadkar has opened the Emergency Humanitarian Support Scheme for those affected by the flooding in Wexford.
The scheme, launched today (January 5), will be open to small businesses, sports clubs, community and voluntary organisations that were unable to secure flood insurance.
The support payment of up to €5,000 can be used to replace of flooring, fixtures and fittings and damaged stock; in cases where there is more significant damage an application can be made for funding of up to €20,000.