Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue has said that payments are expected to begin issuing to farmers affected by summer and autumn flooding along the Shannon Callows in December.

A €325/ha support payment for Shannon Callows farmers was announced earlier this month by Minister McConalogue, with a budget of €800,000 for the one-off package.

Lands flagged by the Department of Agriculture's area monitoring system as having been affected and which were claimed by farmers on a 2023 Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) application are eligible.

Those affected should receive a letter over the coming days from the Department asking them if they wish to apply.

Minister McConalogue gave the update in response to a question put by Sinn Féin’s farming spokesperson Claire Kerrane TD last week.

He also confirmed to Deputy Kerrane that a “small number” of land parcels along the River Suck and the Little Brosna River that are located within the Shannon Callows are eligible for payment.

Louth flooding

Separately last week, Sinn Féin TD for Louth Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister if supports were being considered for farmers in his constituency affected by recent floods.

“I am acutely aware of the hardship that exceptional rainfall has had on farmers around the country,” Minister McConalogue responded.

“Usually, losses of dry stock, machinery, farmyard buildings and sheds would be compensated through the farmers' own insurance cover rather than through the national exchequer,” the Minister said last week.

“Currently, there is no compensation scheme planned for loss of dry stock, machinery or sheds in north Louth. However, my Department continues to monitor the situation nationally.”

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