Little to help suffering of farmers with land underwater

THE budget did little to ease the woes of Michael Kelly, part of whose family farm in south Galway remains under flood water.

Finance Minister Brian Lenihan announced that more than €70 million will be provided over the remainder of 2009 and into 2010 to help those affected by recent flooding and fund work to minimise the risks of future incidents.

But the Ardrahan farmer said the amount of money provided was only a token gesture towards tackling the real causes of flooding by carrying out badly needed schemes on rivers.