Vol. 493 No. 3
210 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive compensation under the 1997 weather related crop losses scheme in view of the fact that he suffered immeasurable loss when he almost lost his life while his house and property was totally washed away in one night's flooding. [16015/98]
The application of the person referred to for compensation under the scheme of assistance for weather related crop losses, 1997, could not be considered for assistance as fodder crop, animal, buildings and fencing losses did not come within the primary scope of the scheme. The scheme was mainly targeted at the number of cereal and other crop growers whose main source of income was from arable crops, potatoes, horticultural crops and grass seed, and where the crop losses arising from the severe weather conditions in 1997 seriously threatened the viablilty of the farm.
In view of the severe hardship experienced by some farmers who applied for compensation for fodder crop losses, I have requested my Department to re-examine all those cases where significant hardship is demonstrated and where the applicants meet the general criteria of the scheme. The application of the person referred to will be included in this review. When this review is completed I will be in a position to consider levels of assistance for persons who have suffered severe fodder losses.
