Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate that the Minister of State came in here and read out what is in front of him. I will not direct my sheer annoyance and anger at him. This is completely unacceptable, however. If we look at what happened when other landslides occurred in the Minister's constituency in Inishowen, we will see that the whole thing was processed and dealt with in just over five months. If we look at what happened at Pollatomish in County Mayo, we will see that it took less than a year for compensation to go to farmers. I am wondering if it is because the farmers in County Leitrim have not marched and blocked roads Is it that they waited, and are still waiting, on the Minister to deliver on his promise? It has been more than 20 months.

Yes, we know that force majeurewas applied last year and the year before and people are pleased about that. The Minister of State and I both know, however, that it is highly unlikely that it will happen this year. They have waited too long. I expected that we would get something more tonight than hearing that the engagement is continuing and the Minister's Department will contact them, etc. That is what we have been getting since the Minister visited five months ago. We were listening to that beforehand. It really is not good enough.

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