IFA joins rural community groups and county council in grit operation

GRIT stocks delivered by Cork County Council to selected depots in West Cork yesterday finally began to ease the pressure experienced by iced-in rural businesses and communities this week.

Tractors, tankers and trucks streamed in and out of the depots throughout the day. Dairy farmers delivered full tanks to their local co-ops and something resembling normal order was restored.

However, caution is advised due to predictions of challenging weather conditions for the week ahead.

West Cork IFA chairman David O’Brien said: “Getting salt is the main issue for us now. We are keeping a good line of communication open with the county council to ensure that no resources are wasted.

“A lot of tankers and tractors have come through the collection point at Ardfield, Clonakilty. Local knowledge will make a huge difference in keeping the roads passable from here on. Salt would make a huge difference, especially on the hills. Grit helps, but it just sits on top of the ice. Salt would help thaw out the ice.”

Earlier this week, Cork County Council had been slower than other local authorities in providing grit, turning down offers from farmer groups to lay the grit on the council’s behalf, citing health and safety regulations.

Following an approach by the IFA, the Oireachtas emergency committee clarified on Thursday that there was no regulatory impediment to local groups spreading the grit themselves. This led to yesterday’s collaborative response by the county council, the IFA and other local groups.

IFA president John Bryan said he was glad that the emergency response now under way was largely along the lines he had suggested earlier this week.

Mr Bryan said: “Dairy farmers will continue to have tanks full of milk, feed will need to be delivered and people will need to get out and about. Local authorities will now need to continue to use the goodwill of everyone to assist with the current weather difficulties and get the grit supplies out.”

In a statement issued yesterday, Cork County Council said it would continue to salt and grit roads on a priority basis.

Light rain fell on freezing roads yesterday, leading to ice and black ice, with temperatures of -3°C and footpaths also hazardous.

The council is allowing local community groups and the IFA to use a number of local area offices to distribute grit and salt. Recycling centres and civic amenity sites in Cork have been closed and subject to weather will reopen at 9am on Monday.

Picture: David O'Brien, chairman, West Cork IFA, with the load of grit at Ardfield near Clonakilty. Picture Denis Minihane.