Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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I wish to formally put on the record that I am not at all happy that a Minister from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is not present. The Minister, Deputy McConalogue, told me that he could not be here but there are two Ministers of State in that Department. It is not good enough that none of the three could be available this morning for what is an extremely urgent issue. Normally, I would refuse to accept this debate, but, sadly, the farmers, their families and others in the Shannon Callows do not have the luxury of waiting for one of the three ministerial diaries to open up.

I am seeking to address a matter of the utmost urgency, one that is of importance to the farmers in the Shannon and Suck Callows, namely, the need to revise the compensation scheme for those affected by flooding in recent months. This issue, as we are all painfully aware, is not just one of financial compensation, but one that strikes at the very heart of our rural communities and their sustainability. The Shannon Callows, a region known for its rich agricultural heritage, has been devastated by unprecedented flooding. This has resulted in a significant loss of fodder and grazing, impacting more than 300 farmers directly. The current compensation scheme, which promises €325 per hectare, is a step in the right direction, but its execution and scope raise critical concerns.

The situation on the ground is dire. Our farmers have lost approximately 7,000 acres of meadow and 7,000 acres of grazing land. This flood began on St. Patrick’s Day and continued well into the summer. It has not only destroyed crops, but also forced farmers to use their silage grounds for grazing, leaving them without fodder. This crisis is not just about compensating them for the loss of fodder, but recognising the cascading effect of this disaster on the overall agricultural productivity and mental well-being of our farmers and their families. While the package being delivered is commendable, it overlooks critical aspects, applies a limitation of 15 ha, and lacks consideration of the loss of grazing lands. Our farmers did not just lose their meadows; they lost valuable grazing time, which is crucial for their cattle. This cannot be overlooked.

The delay in issuing payments is alarming. The farmers of the Shannon Callows have been grappling with one of the longest summer floods in living memory. Their resilience is commendable but their patience and resources are wearing thin. It was initially indicated that payments would commence in December but we are now facing the possibility that they will not be issued until 2024. This delay is potentially devastating for farmers who are relying on this support to sustain their livelihoods and families. Moreover, the method of identifying affected farmers through satellite mapping, while innovative, has inadvertently excluded those along the River Suck and Little Brosna tributaries. It is imperative that any farmer who has suffered due to flooding, be it on the Shannon itself or on the backflow of waters on the tributaries, receive support. The current count of 230 farmers affected, as highlighted by the Save Our Shannon Organisation, is a gross underestimation.

By overlooking those affected by tributary flooding, we risk leaving many farm families in dire straits this Christmas. I urge the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to look again at the compensation scheme for farmers in the Shannon Callows and to ensure they get adequate compensation, including those on the Little Brosna and the River Suck.

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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I appreciate that I am not the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine or indeed a Minister of State in that Department but I hope the statement I give will be of assistance to the Deputy. The Government fully recognises there has been exceptional flooding in the Shannon Callows during late summer, which has prevented some farmers from completing their normal traditional harvesting of silage and-or hay. This has left affected farmers in a serious situation requiring them to purchase fodder to maintain animal health and welfare during the winter months. It is in that context that the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine announced a new scheme on 7 November 2023 called the Shannon Callows flood scheme to support affected farmers in the Shannon Callows.

The Department has announced funding of €800,000 to assist farmers who have been affected by fodder loss in the Shannon Callows. The scheme will be operated from within the Department and given the urgent nature of the assistance required, it is planned that payments will commence issuing to applicants in December 2023. The expression of interest letters include the application form issued on 17 November 2023 to approximately 230 farmers. These farmers were identified as being impacted by fodder loss on dates between 2 July 2023 and 29 September 2023 by the Department's area monitoring system.

In returning the application and applying for the scheme, the farmer is declaring that he or she lost fodder as a result of the exceptional flooding and that he or she has read and understand the terms and conditions of the scheme. The closing date for receipt of applications from the approximately 230 farmers is 27 November 2023 and as of 22 November 2023, applications had been received. I would, however, encourage those farmers who have received an expression of interest letter to return it to the direct payments section of the Department as soon as possible.

In addition to this new Shannon Callows flood scheme, the Department paid out approximately €56 million in funding to farmers across the country under the 2022 fodder scheme in response to the Ukraine crisis. A further €30 million was paid out to farmers under the 2023 fodder scheme in an advance payment in December 2022. The Department anticipates paying a balancing payment for the 2023 fodder support scheme in the coming weeks. That is likely to amount to approximately €15 million to €20 million in total.

Approximately 71,000 farmers were in the 2022 fodder support scheme with approximately 67,000 of them also applying for the 2023 fodder support scheme. These schemes have supported the production of fodder on Irish farms across the country in both 2022 and 2023.

The Department estimates that approximately 2,500 ha were impacted by flooding. These are grassland and in terms of financial support under the Shannon Callows flood scheme, the Department does not differentiate between whether the grassland was utilised for saving hay or silage exclusively or was used only for grazing. Some parcels along the River Suck and Little Brosna River are included within the figure of 2,500 ha. In terms of the overall fodder situation within the country, the latest study by Teagasc on the fodder situation shows that winter feed stocks are relatively secure and that there is surplus fodder on 75% of farms nationally.

Turning to the wider issue of flooding in the Shannon region, the Department is represented and participates fully in the Shannon flood management working group led by the Office of Public Works. The Department has no direct role in the management of water levels along the Shannon waterway. However, senior officials within the Department participate on the Shannon flood risk State agency co-ordination working group. This working group was established in early 2016 by the Government to enhance ongoing co-operation across all of the State agencies involved with the River Shannon.

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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I thank the Minister of State for her response and acknowledge her presence her but it is pitiful that none of the three Ministers could explain their absence from the House this morning. The extension to grazing lands, which was contained in the reply, is welcome. The difficulty is that farmers are being caught by a double whammy in terms of the loss of their fodder and the loss of the after grass because they have had to let stock in on some of the grazing land. It is not necessarily the floodlands themselves; it is that farmers have had to let stock in other grazing land as a result of that and this is not acknowledged in the proposals that have been put and that all the farmers who have been affected on the River Suck and the Little Brosna, some of whom have still to receive an expression of interest letter, are being discriminated against.

I ask the Minister of State to do one thing, namely, go back to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and at least have him to do me the courtesy of responding to four points. One is that he expedites the compensation process to ensure that payments are made promptly and certainly well before the end of this year. The second is that he expands the scope of the compensation scheme to include all farmers affected by flooding regardless of whether the flooding is on the main River Shannon or its tributaries. The third is that he reassesses the compensation amount and the criteria taking into account the loss of grazing land and the actual extent of the damage, which far exceeds the current estimation. The fourth is that the Department establishes a more inclusive and consultative process with the farming community to ensure that all affected parties have their voices heard and their needs met. I ask the Minister of State to ensure that the Minister responds to those four issues without delay.

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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I heard what the Deputy said with regard to expediting compensation. In my statement, I said that I understand that payments from that scheme will be made by December. I will also bring back the Deputy's comments regarding expanding the scope of the compensation scheme, his wish for the compensation amount to be reassessed and his wish for the establishment of a more inclusive and consultative process in the future.

I also note what he said earlier about the cascading effect of farmers regarding their well-being and that it is not just about the loss of fodder. He mentioned that 7,000 acres each have been lost to farmers and that approximately 300 farmers are directly affected by this. I will take the Deputy's contribution back and convey his views to the Department and the Minister.