James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

My question is about a niche issue, a compensation scheme for fruit growers who suffered damage as a result of Storm Emma and who do not intend to rebuild. First, I welcome the announcement of the reopening of the 2018 grants scheme and acknowledge and welcome the Minister's and the Minister of State's engagement on the issue. The engagement was real and positive and there was a positive and significant outcome. However, a small number of fruit growers - it is a low single digit - are not in a position to avail of the scheme. They are either not in a financial position to rebuild or at a stage of their lives where they are unable to rebuild. What I am seeking is not so much a compensation scheme as some type of aid scheme. One farmer has two acres of glass on the ground. The metal can be taken away cost free by one of the metal collectors, but he has been quoted a price of €30 per tonne for collecting the glass. There are approximately 60 tonnes of shattered glass per acre; therefore, for two acres the price works out at €3,500 to €4,000. That does not include the cost of taking the glass off the ground and possibly having to remove a layer of topsoil. As I said, it involves a very small number of fruit growers and a low cost issue. It is also an environmental issue. The growers are not seeking to benefit from it but simply to be facilitated in removing the glass.

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