Pics: 'We will fight any policy to deliberately flood farmland'
Speaking from Co. Galway where he visited farmland affected by flooding, Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) President Tim Cullinan said the devastation caused by the extremely wet weather is “an indictment of the authorities, right up to the top levels of Government”.
“Farmers have to deal with flooded land and farmyards. In some cases, they have had to move livestock because their sheds are flooded,” he said.
“Farm families deserve better than this. Too many people in positions of authority have washed their hands of this issue.
“It seems that any level of flooding and disruption on farmland is considered acceptable, and there is no accountability,” he added.
Now we have some engineers and retired academics who want to create a river catchment that facilitates the flooding of farmland. IFA will oppose this cop-out tooth and nail.
He continued: “Any proposal that seeks to gloss over decades of mismanagement by drowning farmland will be resisted.
“Farmers will not become the fall guys for those who are unwilling to co-ordinate a proper river management plan.”
Regional voice
IFA Connacht regional chairman Pat Murphy has said the widespread flooding of farmland is putting a serious strain on farmers. He has proposed a number of actions that he claims might provide “practical support to farmers”.
He added: “These are the priorities at the moment to get us through this phase.
“In the longer term, the authorities have to identify a co-ordinated plan that avoids the severe disruption that farmers and householders have had to endure.”
