Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue and Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform Malcolm Noonan have met with landowners affected by a landslide in Drumkeeran, Co. Leitrim.
Over 20 farmers and landowners have been impacted by the landslide, which occurred in June 2020. A multi-agency working group was established in the wake of the landslide with the aim of working to support those affected.
Ministers McConalogue and Noonan, as well as members of their respective departments and agencies, gathered in Drumkeeran on Friday (November 19) to engage again with landowners and provide an update on the progress of the working group.
Support package for those affected by landslide
Addressing the landowners present, Minister McConalogue confirmed that he is working on an exchequer-funded support package for those affected. He said talks were at an early stage.
“It was very useful to visit Drumkeeran to see first-hand the impact the devastating landslide has had on the farm families and landowners in the region,” the minister said.
“I confirmed to the landowners that I have written to the Minister for Public Expenditure seeking to put in place a package that will help those impacted by this devastation.
“I strongly commend the work of the multiagency group set up in the wake of the landslide and Minister Noonan has played a key role in driving this work forward for which I commend him.”
Minister Noonan, who chairs the Drumkeeran Inter-Agency Group, said that the day was an encouraging one for the local community:
“I think we can turn this into a positive story, one where we can inform ourselves on best practice in land use, implement locally-led schemes that will reward farmers for enhancing biodiversity and, critically, we have set a good template for inter-agency collaboration in responding to events of this nature, which may unfortunately become more frequent.
“I am deeply impressed with the local community here and their love of their countryside.
“We will continue our work with the inter-agency group for as long as we are needed to address all of the issues related to the bogslide at Shaas Mountain.”