Vol. 397 No. 3
7 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if his attention has been drawn to the loss incurred by farmers due to recent flood and storm damage; if he has assessed the damage caused to agriculture in financial terms; and if there are any proposals forwarded to Brussels to seek EC funding for compensation purposes.
51 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he intends to request Teagasc to take any special steps to assist farmers who have suffered as a result of recent severe flooding; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 51 together.
I have been kept constantly informed of the effects of the recent flood and storm damage through the local Department offices throughout the country and through Teagasc.
Flooding in certain areas of the country has been significant, involving hardship and inconvenience for very many farm families and rural dwellers generally. It is not, however, possible to assess the full extent of financial loss to farmers until flood waters recede, which is now occurring but loss of fodder and livestock may not be widespread although significant in some areas and for some individuals. Storm damage has been more widespread throughout the country and has had serious financial repercussions on some farmers. It is, of course, possible to insure against this risk.
There are no funds set aside in the EC Budget for compensation for economic losses suffered as a result of storm or flood damage. The Community's emergency aid system exists largely to help victims where injuries or fatalities are involved. It is from this 4 MECU budget line that the 150,000 ECU for Ireland will be drawn. This aid will be administered by the Irish Red Cross.
Teagasc has played a useful role in helping to establish the real extent of the recent flooding damage suffered by farmers. Teagasc will as part of their normal business advise farmers who have suffered flood damage.
I take it from the Minister's reply that the position is very bad for people so affected. The news seems to be permeating down the line that the Department of Agriculture and Food will not be involved in compensation payments to anybody. Can the Minister state whether that is correct?
As I am sure the House is aware, the Taoiseach, on 13 February, announced the establishment of a Cabinet sub-committee consisting of the Ministers for Finance, the Marine, the Environment and Agriculture and Food to examine and report on the extent of the impact of the damage. That sub-committee have met on a number of occasions and the question of relief assistance is before the Government at present.
The fact finding trip around the country seems to have been a smokescreen. The Minister of State was in the west last Saturday and I understand that before the day was over half the officials were lost. Whatever way the visit was banjaxed it did not prove satisfactory for everybody.
A question, please, Deputy.
In his original reply the Minister said it was possible for people to insure against most aspects of the damage caused. I am sure the House is well aware that there are many factors involved in storm and flood damage which will not be insured by any insurance company. There is an onus on the Minister and the Government to ensure that those people are compensated in some form or other for the terrible losses they have endured.
I must refute the assertion that we lost any of the officials along the way.
There were a couple of men looking for the Minister.
There were two officials from the Department of Agriculture and Food involved. We met in Athlone at 8 a.m. and spent the remainder of the day in Counties Galway and Roscommon and the midlands. The seriousness with which we approached this matter is reflected in the fact that we were prepared to undertake a day long tour of the counties in the west and midlands to see at first hand the damage caused.
The people there were waiting two weeks for the Minister.
The reality is that we went there to see at first hand the damage which had been caused. The reports on that visit will reflect what we saw on the ground.
If we are to dispose of Questions Nos. 8 and 9 they must be called now.
May I ask a brief supplementary?
A very quick question, Deputy. I am sorry to say it may be to the Deputy's own disadvantage.
When will the decision of the review group become known and will it be made public?
I do not know when we will have the decision. As the Deputy knows, because of the turloughs in County Galway the water soaking process there is much slower that it is in other parts of the country. We will have to await the abatement of those floods to be able to fully assess the extent of the damage.
God help us.
