Following exceptional flooding in the Shannon Callows during summer 2023, on 7 November 2023 I announced the launch of the Shannon Callows Flood Scheme. The aim of the scheme is to support farmers who have lost fodder due to flooding in the region during summer 2023. I have allocated funding of approximately €800,000 which will allow for a payment rate of up to €325 per hectare for LPIS parcels in the Shannon Callows impacted as determined by my Department's Area Monitoring System and which were claimed by farmers on their 2023 Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) application.
My Department has contacted the farmers that the Area Monitoring System identified as having been impacted by the flooding, providing them with a simple application form for them to sign and return if they wish to apply for the support. Farmers are asked to confirm they have lost fodder as a result of the exceptional flooding in order to receive payment.
A total of 230 expression of interest letters including the application form were issued on the 17 November 2023 and a further 47 expression of interest letters including the application form issued on the 7 December 2023, with 268 out of 277 now paid.
A total of 2,330 hectares were identified as eligible for payment under the Shannon Callows Flood Scheme (SCFS). As of 19 January 2024, 97% of this area has been paid on under the scheme.
The maximum limit of 15 hectares was set and designed to distribute funding evenly across impacted farmers whilst maintaining a sufficient payment rate per hectare. Increasing the limit to a greater number of hectares would not result in supporting a greater number of farmers but rather would result in reducing the payment rate per hectare and therefore result in less support for those farmers with 15 hectares or less of flood impacted land.
