Minister helps calve a cow on local Limerick farm visit

DAIRY farmers in the midst of calving season are going around like sleep-deprived zombies so all help is greatly appreciated.
Seamus O’Riordan, from Patrickswell, got a hand calving a cow by no less than the Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue last week.

The minister, who was down in Limerick for the IFA Aquaculture annual conference and AGM, wanted to visit a local farm.
Mr O’Riordan said it isn’t every day that the minister of agriculture visits your farm and he was delighted to welcome him despite it being the busiest time of the year.

“He was here for about an hour last Thursday afternoon. There was a cow calving at the time and he gave me a hand. He went over the very minute it was born to make sure it was OK,” said Mr O’Riordan.

The Patrickswell man told Farm Leader Mr McConalogue wanted to see his cows and calves.

“He wanted me to separate his Angus calves from the Friesians as he wanted a picture of the Angus calves for a beef scheme that is coming up. He scattered a bale of straw himself. I’d say he is into his farming,” said Mr O’Riordan, who had the opportunity to ask the minister about the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS ) scheme.

TAMS 3, which is worth €370m, has an investment ceiling of €90,000 for almost 100 new investment on farm items including underpasses, farm roadways, supports for the equine sector, cattle fencing, milk recording equipment, PTO generators, and pasture management machinery.

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New solar panels and battery storage measures have a separate €90,000 ceiling with a 60% grant. Solar panels can now be placed on farm homes as well as on sheds and buildings.

“I said to him that the closing date of June 16 is too late – it could be September by the time you could get approval. It is too late then if you are going building,” said Mr O’Riordan, who believes it should be brought forward to May 1.

Minister McConologue's Fianna Fail colleague, Minister of State Niall Collins organised the trip to Mr O’Riordan’s farm.

“The minister was on hand to give Seamie a hand calving a cow.

“It’s part of his job to keep in touch with farmers on the ground and he enjoys doing farm visits. We were delighted to facilitate him with a visit to Seamie’s farm,” said the Limerick TD.

Among those in attendance on the day were Trina O’Dea, Gerard Ward and Cllr Fergus Kilcoyne.