Ireland ‘should apply for EU aid over millions lost due to weather’
The dairy group leader has called upon Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney to apply to the EU for emergency relief, citing the precedent of the 2009 floods when the EU gave €13m to Ireland. However, far greater funding is required this time.
Mr Comer said: “Minister Coveney has already stated that there are no national funds available, so we want him to put the case to the EU that this support is absolutely needed to help farmers who have been decimated by this weather. This weather fits a lot of the criteria for funding, whether it’s viewed as an act of God or as a natural disaster.
“Given the extraordinary weather experienced since the end of May and the massive problems associated with it, the Government should consider an application under the EU Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to those most in need and to avert or minimise the kinds of problems that could arise over the coming months.”
Mr Comer said it is hard to quantify exactly how much funding is required, noting that each case would have to be assessed individually. However, he said that an urgent signal was needed from the EU, given the rising stress levels being felt among some particularly devastated rural communities.
Mr Comer said: “When the flooding occurred in 2009, Ireland secured over €13m, and while the rules of the Fund may be restrictive, the Irish application in 2009 was examined under the ‘exceptional criteria for extraordinary regional disasters’ — the same should apply at present because we are dealing with an extraordinary event at the present time. Rainfall levels nearly four times the normal levels surely represents an extraordinary event.”
Meteorologists have stated that the rainfall in June was more than 280% above the normal average for the month. Similarly high rainfall figures for May, July, and August have all added to the pressure on silage harvesting, which has had to be replaced with costly animal feed.
The ICMSA leader said that this extra animal feed would have to be bought from now until next February or March, adding that the BMD of the silage available was “catastrophic”.
The effects are evident for beef farmers and dairy farmers alike. Mr Comer said that the worst impacts of these added costs were being felt by those farmers who were already under banking pressures.
He noted: “I have always worried about the dangers of expanding the dairy sector too fast. If you are even slightly exposed to repayment pressures, then you have no protection in circumstances like the current weather crisis.
“Structured expansion is the only way to go. The Government has targeted the agri-food sector as a growth industry under Food Harvest 2020, with the ambition to increase considerably net foreign earnings for the Irish economy.
“The positive role of the agri-food sector in 2011 is there for all to see but serious difficulties are now facing individual farmers, and it is essential that the Government recognise this and take measures to support them during this difficult period. Farmers will deliver for the country over time but the Government must play its role during difficult periods like that we are presently experiencing.”
Mr Comer said it was clear that all farmers throughout the country were being affected to some degree, but added that individual farmers all over the country were being particularly badly hit.
“Many individuals have all or some of their first cut silage to complete and they’re eating into existing fodder stocks at a rapid rate. All these problems are building up and are leading to all kinds of stress for many farmers,” he said.
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