Frustration in Seanad as north Louth farmers' plight sparks heated exchange

A heated exchange unfolded in Seanad Éireann on Monday as Senator Erin McGreehan raised concerns about the devastating impact of recent floods on north Louth farmers. Expressing disappointment in the lack of response from the Department of Agriculture, Senator McGreehan called for urgent financial assistance to aid the farmers in their recovery.

During the debate, Senator McGreehan highlighted the severe damage caused to crops, fodder, and essential infrastructure, emphasising the challenges faced by farmers in rebuilding their lives and businesses. She urged the Minister of State and the Department to intervene, giving particular mention to the crucial role of agriculture in the local and national economy.

Senator McGreehan stated: "This is a natural disaster. I do not use that term lightly. It is devastating. There are fields with holes 10 ft deep, so it is not just a case of bringing out the front loader and filling in a few gaps. This is a case of using a Hymac and hiring people at approximately €500 per day for several days to restore land."

In response, Minister of State Pippa Hackett acknowledged the difficulties faced by farmers but said there was a need for a proactive approach to climate adaptation and mitigation. She suggested that farmers should first engage with their insurers and advocated for long-term solutions rather than one-off compensation measures.

She outlined a number of schemes open to farmers to implement such climate adaptation and mitigation measures.

Tensions escalated as Senator McGreehan dismissed the Minister of State's response as "absolute baloney" and accused the Department of being in "fairy tale land." She argued that it was the Department's responsibility to support farming communities and criticised the deputy Hacket’ s assertion that there was a lack of precedence for funding, citing a comparable case in Inishowen.

Senator McGreehan said: “There is precedent for schemes, such as in Inishowen. That was good enough for Charlie back in 2017. Inishowen received funding for pretty much the exact same thing that has happened. Their fences were destroyed. 

“Their fodder was destroyed, as was their fertiliser, and their fields were absolutely ruined. Do not tell me that there is no precedent for it. Some of that €9.3 million could go to it. 

“The €300,000 in that figure would go a long way towards fixing a few farmers in north Louth. I think the Department of Agriculture is in fairy tale land.”

Minister of State Hackett defended the Department's stance, stating: "For one, it is unfair to say that my Department does not support farmers. 

"It does that largely through taxpayers’ money, so we have to make calls on what is appropriate to spend money on and what is not."

Minister of State Hackett further asserted: "It is not sustainable for any Department to continue to pay out funding on one-off measures. That is why the focus has to be on the future, on mitigation and on climate adaptation. We have to look at climate adaptation. 

"That is why I urge the Senator, her colleagues and the farmers she represents to engage with that consultation and highlight what will stop them. We cannot keep going back out when something happens saying we need compensation. Compensation is not a sustainable model."