Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Harkin for raising this important issue. I recognise the work she has done on this issue over the past while. I am working to address it and wish to bring peace of mind as quickly as possible to the landowners in the area.

As the Deputy referenced, I visited those affected by the landslide last November together with the Deputy, the Minister of State, Deputy Feighan, and Deputies MacSharry and Kenny. I know councillors Paddy O'Rourke and Mary Bohan have taken a strong interest in it as well. The Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, and I visited together that day because we recognised the stress that has been there in families and the importance of bringing a resolution to it.

I had hoped to have it concluded by now. The Deputy is right to say it has gone on too long and I hope to conclude it and bring it to a resolution very soon.

As the Deputy knows, the landslide occurred on Shass Mountain, which is close to the village of Drumkeeran, on 28 June 2020 following heavy rain. An area of blanket bog and adjacent forestry moved downhill with liquified peat, vegetation and trees. Some of the landslide material was held at the Dawn of Hope bridge close to the origin of the landslide. However, a quantity of material overflowed the bridge and made its way approximately 7 km downstream. It eventually spread out and settled on areas of farm and forestry land in several townlands. There were subsequent sporadic deposits of peat and other debris and the heaviest deposits occurred in the townlands of Corcormick, Derrindangan and Corchuill Lower.

The agricultural area affected by the landslide has been mapped by my Department using a combination of satellite imagery data for the period in question together with detailed global positioning system, GPS, data collected from surveys conducted on the ground in July and August 2020. The total agricultural area affected by the overspill has been calculated to be just over 24 ha. The total area of forestry within the damaged area is estimated to be 12 ha. This comprises land held in seven privately owned forestry contracts. The affected area is associated with 20 landowners or basic payment scheme claimants, and 19 of them have an affected area that exceeds 50 sq. m. Six of the seven forestry contracts have an affected area that exceeds 50 sq. m as well. A report prepared by RPS Group consultants for the then Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht estimated a total deposit amount of 160,000 cu. m or 160,000 tonnes, which is present at varying depths of up to two metres in the overspill areas. The costs associated with the removal of the overspill material would run to more than €20 million. In addition, the removal of the peat from the affected area could create significant environmental issues, especially in relation to water quality and aquatic life in the Diffagher River and Lough Allen.

As far as scheme eligibility of the overspill areas as agricultural land is concerned, these areas have remained eligible for payment under the basic payment scheme, as the Deputy mentioned, and other schemes administered by my Department because the applicants have been able to avail of the provisions of force majeurefor the 2020, 2021 and 2022 scheme years. This means I have been able to protect these farmers' crucial payments in these years. The matter is under review for the year ahead.

Following extensive consultation with various stakeholders, a proposal for compensation was drafted. This proposal contains several measures to deal with the impact of the landslide and has been submitted to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for sanction, which is required for funding in respect of the agreed package of measures. We are engaging with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on the proposal and an announcement will be made, I hope shortly, on the package of measures. As I said, this is a process I want to bring to a prompt conclusion to bring peace of mind to the landowners who are in this situation through no fault of their own and indeed to follow through on the commitments I and the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, provided when we visited there last November.

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