“Department’s identification systems failing to capture all farmers impacted by Shannon Callows flooding” - TD

Independent TD for Laois Offaly Carol Nolan has said she supports calls for the widening of the Shannon Callows Flood Scheme put in place to support farmers who have been affected by fodder loss due to flooding in the region during summer 2023.

Deputy Nolan says she has written to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue asking him to review the reliance his department is placing on the Area Monitoring System that is used in order to determine who is eligible for compensation under the scheme:

“Minister McConalogue has already confirmed to me that the compensation scheme only applies to Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS) areas identified by his Department's Area Monitoring System, and which were claimed by farmers on their 2023 Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) application,” said Deputy Nolan.

“However, it is clearly the case that this methodology has now been found to be seriously lacking and that a significant number of farmers are still being excluded because of it. That must change.”

“If the principle of assisting and compensation has been accepted then it must be applied fairly to all of those that are impacted.”

“I have been contacted by farmers who were told their areas were not included in the compensation scheme, only for them to then see neighbouring farmers access compensation supports. How is that fair when the impact of the flooding has been virtually identical in both cases?”

“An urgent review is needed, not least because many of these same farmers are now confronted with an impending fodder supply crisis. This is why I also support calls from the ICMSA and others for the introduction of a Fodder Support Scheme to try and mitigate some of these challenges,” Deputy Nolan concluded.