Speaking in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday as part of a trade mission to the Gulf States the Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed confirmed to the Irish Farmers Journal that he is willing to establish a fund.

“What I have committed to is engagement with the IFA on this matter and that is what we are doing. And what I’ve said clearly is that if there’s a will, there’s a way,” the minister said.

Some 300 farmers experienced serious financial loss from the failed harvest of 2016. The prolonged wet summer prevented those tillage farmers along the western seaboard from harvesting crops in time.

At its worst, crops were lost entirely while at its best, crop yields and quality were significantly reduced, resulting in a substantial financial loss for those farmers.

Political pressure

Since then, Fianna Fáil agriculture spokesman Charlie McConalogue as well as the IFA has been ramping up pressure in order to get a crisis fund for the affected farmers.

McConalogue laid down a Dáil motion in January calling for such a fund. The Government lost the vote and the issue was brought to the tillage forum two weeks ago where no definitive outcome on the crisis fund was reached.

Minister Creed’s words to the Irish Farmers Journal are the clearest indication yet that a crisis fund is not far away.

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