asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the action he proposes to take to compensate farmers who have suffered economically due to the cratering of roads in the Border area.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cratering of Roads.
56.
I understand that there are provisions whereby farmers un-Border areas may claim compensation for malicious injuries from their respective local authorities if their property has been damaged as a result of the cratering of roads. My Department, however, have no function in cases of this nature.
Is the Minister aware that, due to this cratering of roads, there are farmers who are unable to transport their milk for collection and therefore have had to switch to a less profitable line of farming? Would the Minister not agree that a farmer who has had his income reduced in this way should get similar compensation to that for a building or for a factory which is damaged? There are a small number of these farmers admittedly, but there is definite hardship in these cases.
The Deputy will appreciate that this is not within the competence of my Department. It is a domestic matter and I do not want to comment on the arrangements that exist at present. The Government did make arrangements in May, 1974, for this purpose to ensure that people would be able to get compensation where private property was damaged by the use of explosives and where this was attributable to disturbances in Northern Ireland, so as to ensure that people would not suffer through delays or difficulties in securing compensation from the authorities in Northern Ireland. However, if the Deputy believes that the schemes is inadequate, then he should take it up with the appropriate Department.
Would the Minister look at these hardship cases, of farmers, especially last year, having to go out of milk production and go into a much less remunerative line of farming due to the fact that they may have to go ten miles through Northern Ireland to get back in with their milk?
I know what the Deputy says but the question of the terms of the scheme and to whom it applies are matters for another Department. I will pass on what the Deputy says to the Minister for Local Government.