No 2 – Picture of Matt Carthy, Pearse Doherty and John Sheamais O’Fearraigh with Local Farmers in field covered in sand as a result of flooding
TD Pearse Doherty and local election candidate John Sheamais O’Fearraigh have with local farmers to assess the damage by recent storms which caused the Ards Sea embankment to breach and resulted in severe and extensive flooding to farmland in the Ards area.
Sinn Féin local election candidate O’Fearraigh said he was alarmed to see the extent of the damage caused by the breach of the embankment, which has caused severe hardship to local farmers.
“The breach of the embankment has affected 13 local farmers and has caused the flooding of 130 acres of land with a number of acres of forestry also affected.
“Due to the breach in the embankment, which occurred in January and measures approximately 80 feet, the local farmers have had their lands repeatedly flooded when high tides have come in.
“I am aware that the Officials from the office of public works have visited this site in January after the breach took place, however it remains unclear if the funding has been made available to fully complete the works necessary or when works will commence.
“It is of the utmost importance that work commences on this site as soon as possible – with no defence from high tides and repeated flooding of their land local farmers are not in a position to begin work to restore their land and there are also concerns that farmers could lose out on various entitlements if the works are not commenced in the very near future.”
He called on Donegal County Council to prioritise this project, which he said affects the livelihood of a number of local farmers, to immediately clarify details of the plans to repair the breach and to consult with local farmers on the repair works needed.