Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I want to impress upon the Minister the seriousness of this issue for my constituency. Coming from the southern part of the country, the Minister will appreciate that County Limerick has a large number of farming families. The Golden Vale has not been impacted, but many small farmers in the west of the county have marginal land, much of which is in areas of natural constraint, and some face other challenges such as the hen harrier designation, which is an issue yet to be resolved.

The farmers and farm families have told me they will experience a fodder crisis in the spring. The period from July to October has been the wettest since 2009, which has impacted on the second cut of silage. The price of hay, silage and straw has almost doubled in recent weeks and months. A crisis is looming. We need a crisis fodder aid fund to be put in place for farm families in Limerick who have been impacted. I would like the Minister to address that in his reply.

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