IFA to attend Environment Committee to discuss impact of flooding on farmers

Cathaoirleach of the Committee Michael McCarthy TD said: “Over the past number of years, a number of areas in the country have experienced extreme and increasingly frequent weather events, particularly flooding.  This has been particularly disastrous for farmers with hundreds of acres of farmland submerged or badly flooded following constant heavy rain in the past year. Tens of millions of euros of damage has been caused to farmland around the country. Silage and hay crops were lost to floods last summer and yields were reduced, leaving farmers without winter fodder. In some cases, it was impossible to put animals out on farmland or use machinery on the land leading to some farmers facing crippling losses. Tomorrow, we will meet with the IFA to get up to date information about how serious the flooding issue has been for farmers, to put a figure on the losses the farming community has sustained and to get its views on what measures need to be put in place to help alleviate the suffering and damage caused.

“The problems people are experiencing with flooding and the impact of extreme weather on our communities will form a key part of the Committee’s agenda in coming months. We have already met with the Irish Insurance Federation to discuss the difficulties obtaining home insurance in areas which have experienced extreme weather events, such as flooding.”

Before it meets with the IFA, the Committee will carry out scrutiny of EU legislative proposals:

COM(2012)393, Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 443/2009 to define the modalities for reaching the 2020 target to reduce CO2 emissions from new passenger cars.

COM(2012)394, Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) No 510/2011 to define the modalities for reaching the 2020 target to reduce CO2 emissions from new light commercial vehicles

COM(2012)577, Proposal for a Council decision on the conclusion of the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization to the Convention on Biological Diversity

COM(2012)643, Proposal for a regulation of the European parliament and of the Council on fluorinated greenhouse gases; and

COM(2012)651, Proposal for a Council decision approving the conclusion by the European Commission on behalf of the European Atomic Energy Community of an Agreement on scientific and technological cooperation between the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and the Swiss Confederation, of the other part, associating the Swiss Confederation to the Framework
Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community for nuclear research and training activities (2012-2013).

This meeting will start in Committee Room 4, Leinster House at 2.15pm tomorrow, Tuesday 12th February 2013.

Committee proceedings can be followed live at:
http://www.oireachtas.ie/parliament/watchlisten/

Media enquiries to:

Ciaran Brennan,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Communications Unit,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2

P: +3531 618 3903
M: 086-0496518
F: +3531 618 4551
Email: Ciaran.brennan@oireachtas.ie

Membership of the Joint Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht

Deputies: James Bannon TD (Fine Gael); Paudie Coffey TD (Fine Gael); Noel Coonan (Fine Gael) Leas-Chathaoirleach; Marcella Corcoran Kennedy TD (Fine Gael); Barry Cowen (Fianna Fáil); Luke Flanagan TD (Independent); Kevin Humphreys TD (Labour); Michael McCarthy TD (Labour) Cathaoirleach; Sandra McLellan TD (Sinn Féin); Tony Mc Loughlin TD (Fine Gael); Michelle Mulherin TD (Fine Gael); Catherine Murphy TD (Independent); Gerald Nash TD (Labour); Seán Ó Fearghaíl TD;  Brian Stanley TD (Sinn Féin).

Senators: Senator Cáit Keane (Fine Gael) Senator Denis Landy (Labour); An Seanadóir Fiach Mac Conghail (Neamhspleách); Senator Catherine Noone (Fine Gael); An Seanadóir Labhrás Ó Murchú (Fianna Fáil): Senator Ned O’Sullivan (Fianna Fáil).