Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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483. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government in view of the decision taken by the Shannon Airport Authority to allow farming organisations to cut grass on property owned by them to help alleviate fodder shortages in the local area, if he will ask those agencies, companies, authorities, boards and so on who come within his remit to consider similar initiatives on suitable public lands owned by them in conjunction with representatives of local farming organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23769/13]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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My colleague, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, has been proactive in dealing with the fodder crisis, which principally arose from the very cold and bad weather and has had a direct impact on input costs for farmers in buying feedstuff.

My Department will write to local authorities and all bodies under its aegis asking them to explore, where suitable public lands exist, the potential for assisting local farming organisations as outlined in the question.