Roscommon Macra na Feirme will host a farm walk with a difference this Friday (September 10) which will highlight the impact of flooding around Lough Funshinagh in the county.
Water levels at the lake have increased sharply in recent years, putting farms, homes and livelihoods at risk, with local elected officials and farmer representatives expressing fears that the next period of heavy flooding could be particularly destructive.
Recent hopes of a solution with the construction of an overflow pipe appear to have been dashed after a court challenge taken by an environmental group resulted in construction works being halted.
In a social media post, Roscommon Macra said: “With winter around the corner, the generators will be back on, keeping water pumped out of houses, kids’ bedrooms and livestock sheds.
“The farmers and their families are expecting the worst once again this winter. They need your support now,” the post added.
“To learn more about this urgent matter please come along this Friday to see what devastation the flooding has been causing and the risk the water levels have on local families around the lough again.”
According to Roscommon Macra, the association’s national president John Keane will be in attendance.
The farm walk will take place at Fallon’s farm and is due to kick off at 6:45p.m.
On August 25, it was confirmed that flood relief works at Lough Funshinagh have been suspended indefinitely.
A High Court Action taken by Friends of the Irish Environment (FIE) earlier last month against Roscommon County Council ended when both the environmental group and the county council came to an agreement before the court proceedings.
The original plans were for the construction of a 2.9km pipe that would have seen water from Lough Funshinagh pumped into Lough Ree.
In a statement after the end of the case, the local authority said: “Roscommon County Council has been left with no option but to accept that flood relief works at Lough Funshinagh cannot continue until environmental studies have been undertaken.
“[We] will not spend anymore valuable time on litigation but instead will move forward with environmental assessments as soon as possible,” the council added.