Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 15 Feb 1994

Vol. 438 No. 7

Written Answers. - Compensation for Crop Damage.

Ivan Yates

Question:

49 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if his attention has been drawn to the continuing dissatisfaction of crop producers in County Wexford in relation to the compensation and financial assistance to stay in business arising out of crop damage in 1993; if he is prepared to extend the financial assistance already announced, both in financial terms and to cereal growers; if he will meet a delegation of Wexford producers in this regard to receive a factual analysis of their losses and the difficulties in obtaining sufficient credit to produce crops for 1994; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry (Mr. J. Walsh)

I have already met a delegation from the IFA to discuss compensation for weather related crop damage in 1993. This delegation includes representatives of Wexford cereal producers. At this meeting it was pointed out that the financial assistance announced in this year's budget would be directed to potato and horticulture producers who suffered total or major losses due to weather conditions.

Losses that may have been incurred in the cereal sector were compensated to a considerable extent by the arable aid payments and by much higher prices than were envisaged under the CAP reforms. A total of £46 million was paid to cereal producers last year under the arable support system of which £6 million went to Wexford growers. These payments were not yield related. In the circumstances I have no proposals to provide compensation for cereal producers.