I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me to raise this matter on the Adjournment and I thank the Minister of State for coming in to reply to it.
The reason for raising this matter is to appeal to the Minister to find a way in which a small group of small and part-time farmers in the Skeheenarinky-Burncourt area of south Tipperary can be compensated for significant loss they suffered as a result of flash flooding on 16 May. The loss incurred is small compared to the money available to the Exchequer. It is in the region of £60,000 and 25 small farmers are involved, which is an average of over £2,000 per farmer.
On 16 May 2000 extensive flooding occurred in the Burncourt-Skeheenarinky area of south Tipperary which resulted in extensive damage to property, agricultural land, roads and bridges. High rainfall intensity over a short duration resulted in a large surface run-off from the Galtee Mountains. This caused a number of landslides north of Burncourt and large quantities of tree stumps, trees, logs, stones and so on were washed down the mountainside. Damage costing some £.75 million was caused to local roads, bridges and so on. The resulting repairs were carried out by South Tipperary County Council. As a result of the flash flood, the River Tar burst its banks and the raging torrent washed away bags of fertiliser, swept away silage fields, ruined grass and deposited rocks and debris of all kinds in its wake. It also swept away cattle and sheep. One elderly man in the area described the damage as the worst he had seen in his lifetime.
The local Teagasc office assessed the damage caused to the 25 farmers involved. To give an indication of the loss sustained, in one case there was a loss of 25 ewes and 48 lambs; loss of cattle and 12 lambs; loss of a calf, silage and receding of silage and grassed areas. The number of people affected is very small. While the amount of money is small in national terms, it is significant for the farmers involved. The Red Cross is administering a scheme regarding flooding that occurred between 5 and 7 November. There was extensive flooding in the south Tipperary area on that occasion also. I appeal to the Minister to use that scheme or some other vehicle to give reasonable financial compensation to the farmers involved. It may not be possible for the Minister to respond positively tonight and, if that is the case, I ask him to consider the matter in the next few days and make some arrangement for the financial compensation of the individuals involved.