Department’s response to flooding was swift, thorough, and flexible

I refer to yesterday’s article relating to flood damage assistance for farmers. Your readers may have gotten the mistaken impression that there has been delay in the response to the severe flooding events of December 2015 and January 2016 on the part of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

As an immediate response and to address, and in some cases prevent, animal welfare issues the department operated an Animal Welfare Helpline throughout the period of the floods, including on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

Arrangements were put in place for a supply of animal feed to be made available to farmers under the existing Department Emergency Feed Provision arrangements. In the region of 141 farmers have been supported through the provision of approximately 380 tonnes of concentrates with an estimated value of €110,000.