A Cheann Comhairle, you will be glad to know that I do not have any of the destroyed cauliflowers with me tonight, they have long since been buried again in the soils of north County Dublin.
During the exceptional weather conditions last May and early June when 300 per cent of normal rainfall fell, hundreds of acres of vegetables, potatoes, soft fruits and cereals were lost irretrievably. In some instances, farmers suffered a 70 per cent reduction in output and many potato growers report that instead of achieving eight to ten tonnes per acre they are getting returns on the remaining land of one to two tonnes per acre.
Following the carrying out of a scientific survey by Teagasc, it is now estimated that the losses have reached at least £10.7 million and many of the growers have been pushed to the edge of financial ruin. At a packed meeting yesterday in the Grand Hotel in Malahide, many growers from counties Wexford, Wicklow, Kildare, Meath, south Louth and, in particular, from north County Dublin, outlined the devastation which has been caused to their businesses. In the potato crop area, the "Brithis Queens" variety was worst hit. This variety represents 50 per cent of the total County Dublin acreage of 5,500 and a great number of those acres were lost. The vegetables worst hit were iceberg lettuce, cauliflowers, early swedes, parsnips and broccoli. In Wexford particularly, 152 acres of strawberries were destroyed and most of the crops that remain have suffered yield and quality reduction. Even protected crops, as Deputy Howlin will tell the Minister, suffered from water logging.
There is a great air of devastation about this industry. Many spoke movingly at the meeting yesterday of the fact that they will now have to apply for social welfare benefit and give up their businesses. I recognise that the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry and the Minister of State have expressed sympathy and support for the growers' plight. Last week, the Minister, Deputy Joe Walsh, announced the allocation of £1 million for compensation. This is not enough. It will not make up for the damage that has been done to this industry. It is to be welcomed that the Minister has accepted the principle of paying compensation for these excessive losses, but this amount of compensation in no way matches the needs of this industry which is on its knees at the moment.
It is estimated that in excess of 450 jobs are threatened in the horticultural industry. If a factory with the same number of employees was threatened with closure, the IDA and many other State bodies would be offering millions of pounds in inducements to foreign investors to try to save those jobs, and rightly so. The Minister has his chance to save those jobs in the horticultural industry.
It is estimated that it costs £50,000 approximately to create one industrial job. In order to replace the approximately 466 jobs that are threatened in the horticultural industry, it would cost £23 million. I am giving the Minister those figures as an indication of how little he has actually offered to save the jobs in horticulture. Surely it is not too much to ask the Minister to make an adequate level of compensation available to these farmers and their families so that they can continue in this important indigenous industry. If his responsibility for horticulture is to have any meaning, here is his chance to indicate it.
I warn the Minister that if he does not wish to preside over the demise of the horticultural industry, particularly in areas of north County Dublin such as Lusk, Rush and parts of Skerries, he would be well advised to examine the Teagasc report and convince the Minister for Finance that he needs additional funding. He must also convince the EC that it is necessary to have equivalent funds to make up for these exceptional weather circumstances.
This industry has come together as a cohesive force. I want to say to the Minister's colleague, Deputy Howlin, that there was a very large contingent from County Wexford at the meeting yesterday.
