Press release
Minister McConalogue announces aid package for Shass Mountain farmers
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Published on
Last updated on
Minister of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, today announced an aid package to support farmers whose land impacted by a Landslide in the Drumkeeran area of Co. Leitrim on 28th June 2020.
The package will provide financial support to those landowners whose agricultural lands were inundated with peat silt and sludge as a consequence of the overspill caused by the landslide.
Support will also be provided for fencing and gateways on agricultural land affected by the landslide. Farmers will be able to qualify for payments of up to a maximum of €20,000 each.
For the owners of forestry affected by the landslide, funding is being provided for the reconstitution of affected forest areas as part of the aid package.
Announcing the Scheme, Minister McConalogue stated:
“Having visited the Drumkeeran area in November 2021, I witnessed the significant effect of the landslide on the locality. It was incredibly tough on everyone in the area. This was a hugely traumatic event for farmers and households in the area. We have moved to support farmers and landowners who have found themselves in this awful situation through no fault of their own. We will continue to stand by the farmers affected.
“I have worked closely with my cabinet colleague Minister Michael McGrath to deliver a financial support package which will provide direct financial assistance to those farmers directly affected by the landslide.”
Minister McConalogue commended the work done by the Inter Agency working group chaired by Minister Malcolm Noonan in the aftermath of the landslide.
Minister Noonan welcomed news of the agreement on a compensation package for farmers:
“The bog slide at Drumkeeran was a traumatic event for people locally. It undermined livelihoods and caused serious and irreversible ecological damage. Lessons must be learned from such events and the reports we commissioned should inform all future land use proposals on sensitive soils and habitats. The most immediate issue was to compensate landowners for loss of productive land and I was delighted to work with my colleague Minister McConalogue to reach conclusion on this package.
“I commend everyone involved in this process, and I’d particularly like to thank the local community and Leitrim County Council, who have borne the brunt of the impact of this awful event. We must work together to ensure such incidents never happen again.”
The Minister also complemented Leitrim County Council for their work in restoring local access and drainage following the landslide.
Minister McConalogue said:
"This was an incredibly difficult and stressful situation for those in the area. We have all worked very hard in order to deliver this package that I hope will bring comfort to the farmers and landowners."
The department is writing to those affected by the landslide with details of the scheme. The attention of applicants is drawn to the closing date for the receipt of applications under the aid package which shall be Wednesday 30 November 2022. This is to ensure that payments under the Aid Package can be made as quickly as possible.