Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 28 Feb 1995

Vol. 449 No. 7

Written Answers. - Flooding Crisis.

Robert Molloy

Ceist:

225 Mr. Molloy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if he will make compensation payments available to persons (details supplied) in County Galway who have suffered loss due to flood damage in the south Galway area; the steps, if any, he will take to alleviate the hardship caused by the annual flooding of farmland in that area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4503/95]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry (Mr. Yates)

My Department has recently introduced a scheme of compensation payments to farmers throughout the country who have lost livestock or fodder in the floods. Forms are available from local Farm Development Service offices and the closing date is 10 March.

Moreover, a special interdepartmental committee has been established by the Government to co-ordinate a response to the effects of bad weather. The committee is being chaired by Deputy J. Higgins, Minister of State at the Department of Finance, who recently stated that he was commissioning a major study of the problems of south Galway.