Department under pressure to issue emergency fund amid fodder crisis

The Department of Agriculture is coming under increasing pressure to issue an emergency fund to ease the human and animal hardship caused by the fodder crisis.

IFA deputy president Eddie Downey described the Government’s response to the unprecedented fodder crisis as “totally inadequate”. He has called upon Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney to come forward with a package of measures to alleviate the real hardship and financial stress on the worst affected farms.

Mr Downey said: “The minister must make an announcement immediately of an emergency fund, which would be targeted at individual cases where the difficulties are greatest and where there is a risk to human and animal welfare.”