Farmers bordering Bord na Móna bog are extremely anxious and need written guarantees around any flooding that may arise from its rewetting programme, Independent TD for Laois Offaly Carol Nolan has said.

These concerns around bog rewetting and flooding, she said, remain unanswered two years on from when Bord na Mona announced its bog rewetting programme.

Written guarantees are needed and not just verbal assurances, they are tokenistic and "not worth the paper they're written down on", she said.

"Farmers who have lands adjacent to these bogs that Bord na Móna are rewetting are very anxious and frustrated. It's very worrying for them that their lands could be flooded if proper maintenance isn't carried out by Bord na Móna," Deputy Nolan said.

Losing patience

Farmers are now losing patience at the unwillingness or inability of Bord na Mona and Minister for the Environment Eamon Ryan to provide these guarantees, she said.

Nolan's comments come on the back of speaking with farmers in Co Offaly and the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA) following a decision by Minister Ryan not to attend a public meeting on the issue in Tullamore.

Bord na Móna is currently in the process of rewetting in excess of 30,000ha of bog at a number of sites throughout the Midlands region.

There is ongoing potential for flooding which may emerge as part of the rewetting process

“Almost two years ago to the day I wrote to Bord na Móna chief executive Tom Donnellan requesting the company provide a written agreement to farmers who have land adjacent to or within the vicinity of any bog being subjected to the rewetting process,” said Deputy Nolan.

There is ongoing potential for flooding which may emerge as part of the rewetting process, she argued, and farmers in Offaly and beyond are extremely annoyed.

Consultation

“I accept that there has been some degree of consultation and that some hydrological risk assessments have been undertaken, but the fact remains that these gestures will offer no comfort to farmers who will remain personally and financially liable when it comes to addressing flood damage to their property and land.

“The farmers I am talking to are pragmatic and reasonable people, but they need more than warm words and assurances," she said.

They need guarantees that they and their farms and livelihoods will be protected and supported in the event of flooding from the rewetting process, she said.