Farmers have been again urged to prioritise their safety when working on repairs to damaged part of their farms following Storm Éowyn.
The Irish Natura and Hill Farmers’ Association (INHFA) is encouraging farmers to plan repairs carefully and ensure that safety is a priority not just for them, but for any contractor they employ as well.
Speaking on the widespread destruction inflicted by Storm Éowyn, INHFA president Vincent Roddy said: “It is critical that farmers and contractors recognise that many sheds and other buildings damaged in the storm will also be weakened and it is vital that a full assessment is done on these buildings prior to the commencement of any work.
Roddy also said that, as well as concerns over safety, there are also concerns around the funding of repair work. While insurance will cover the cost for some farmers, there is a concern that many farmers may not be in a position to claim from insurance.
“This details the need for state support. This is an issue we will be addressing with [Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon] in addition to the immediate payment of all balancing payments such as ACRES [Agri Climate Rural Environment Scheme] and suckler and sheep supports,” Roddy said.
The INHFA president also called for an extension to the deadline by which sheep farmers are required to submit their sheep census, which must be submitted to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine by today (Friday, January 31), if submitted by post, or by February 14 if submitted online.
Roddy said that the INHFA is looking for the postal deadline to be extended so that it is the same as the online deadline.
The farm leader said that many farmers “struggle with substantial workloads as a result of not having electricity and water”, and he called on Minister Heydon to halt all on-farm inspections for the next two weeks “so as to not add to the considerable pressure many farmers are already under”.
Farmer reps meet on storm fallout
Meanwhile, farmer representatives in the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) will meet in the northwest to discuss the fallout from the storm.
IFA deputy president Alice Doyle is set to meet with the IFA Connacht chairperson Brendan Golden and the five county chairs in the province this morning. The meeting will take place in Carrick-on-Shannon in Co. Leitrim.
The group will hear an update from the ESB and Uisce Éireann on progress on reconnections and solutions for farmers and rural dwellers who are without water or electricity.
Doyle said that there was huge frustration among farmers in Connacht and other counties who were still without water or power.
“The people on the ground are working hard to restore power and water. However, there must be a whole review to see how we have ended up in this situation. There is no doubt that the storm was a significant event, but lessons have to be learned,” Doyle said.
“While the short-term target must be on restoring water and electricity, there must also be a focus on preparing better for an event like this in the future,” she added.
“There is a real fear that the focus will move off these issues until it happens again. This cannot be the case.
“The government must put a taskforce in place now, involving all stakeholders, to begin work on addressing the vulnerabilities this storm has brought to light,” the IFA deputy president said.
Brenda Golden said that farmers were experiencing “real hardship” caring for their animals without power or water.
“Farmers are under massive stress as are all people in rural communities who are without power or water. We must improve the infrastructure to ensure that we don’t have this impact again,” Golden added.