Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Agriculture Charlie McConalogue TD has called for the Emergency Flood Relief Scheme to be re-established to help Donegal farmers affected by flooding.
The recent flooding has had a particularly damaging impact on farmers with animals lost and buildings and machinery destroyed says Deputy McConalogue.
The Emergency Flood Relief Scheme was originally established in 2015. It assisted farmers affected by loss of livestock or impacted by damage to fixed agricultural structures and fittings. It also enabled farmers move livestock to alternate housing.
Deputy McConalogue said, “Minister Creed should swiftly establish a new Emergency Flood Relief Scheme for eligible farmers affected by Tuesday’s floods. The scenes of drowned animals and damaged farmyards underline the financial impact this catastrophic weather has had on farmer’s livelihoods.
“An open, easy to access flood relief scheme should be rolled out to help all of those affected. The new scheme should draw on the experience of the 2015 flooding and the difficulty many farms had in applying for those funds. The scheme needs to be easy to access to allow farmers get the resources they need to re-build their livelihoods.
“Combined with the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme for ordinary homeowners, this type of assistance is vital to helping people get their lives back on track after Tuesday’s devastating flooding.
“I hope that Minister Creed moves to set up this fund as soon as possible. Additional work should also be done to see if Ireland is eligible for EU Solidarity Funding to help address the financial impact of the flooding,” concluded Deputy McConalogue.
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