Declan Breathnach (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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210. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a programme of assistance will be introduced to help farmers who have lost up to 70% of their maize crop due to the conditions during Storm Ali; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that harvesting machinery is incapable of lifting a maize crop once it has fallen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38997/18]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Maize is a crop that is predominantly grown in a covered system (under plastic film) and is typically harvested between the end of September and the end of October. While many crops were unaffected by Storm Ali, I am aware of some crops in localised areas were adversely impacted to varying degrees. 

It is my understanding that the majority of the affected maize crops remain salvageable with some additional attention required at harvesting.

As this storm and other recent weather events have shown, farmers require access to measures that improve their capacity to respond to these occurrences. I have asked my officials, in the context of the upcoming CAP reform, to examine all available risk management tools to determine which of these may be most appropriate to the farming sector. A programme of assistance in respect of Storm Ali is not being considered at present.