Michael McNamara (Clare, Labour)
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I accept that everyone has to take holidays but I spent the past week trying to contact the relevant people down there and I was referred from one to the other, but they are all on leave. I am just a politician. I am paid to do this and it is not interfering with my land, but if I were a farmer and I had urgent works to do to get my lands into shape for next spring and summer I would not be very impressed. This is not about individuals but surely there is some planning going on somewhere. There has not been a national emergency, but it has not been too far off it in parts of west Clare and along the estuary, and one cannot get an answer from the appropriate people. Something must be done soon or else farmers may not be able to use those lands this year. If they do the wrong thing they potentially lose the single farm payment or a chunk of it.