Advertisement
Advertisement

-

Storm support scheme proposed for market garden sector

Clare Fine Gael TD Joe Cooney has requested the Minister for Agriculture to consider the introduction of a financial support scheme for the small-scale food producers who he says have been significantly impacted by Storm Éowyn.

Deputy Cooney said the market garden sector was amongst the sectors worst affected by last week’s storm.

In a written submission to Minister Martin Heydon, the Clare TD said, “Such food producers engage in a high value, low impact sustainable use of land and much of the sector in Clare is small scale comprising small plots of land, largely under polytunnels and servicing farmers markets and other small retailers. These operations are extremely vulnerable to high winds and Storm Éowyn has decimated many of them, at a critical time in their planting calendar.”

- Advertisement -

Deputy Cooney said he informed the Minister that If the polytunnels are not replaced quickly “key planting times will be missed, and a full growing and consequential sales season will be lost causing huge financial hardship resulting in many small-scale food producers being forced to close their operations.”

“I have requested that the Minister consider as a matter of urgency a financial support scheme to assist these market gardeners in repairing or replacing their polytunnels damaged in last week’s storm,” he added.

Meanwhile, Deputy Cooney said it had been a trying week for many rural parts of County Clare that have and, in some cases, continue to experience outages to power, water and telecommunications services.

“The level of disruption wrought by Storm Éowyn is unprecedented in this county,” he said. “It has been a very trying time for everybody affected, including my own and many other rural communities. Once all services have been restored, it is important that a full review of how we can futureproof our energy and water infrastructure from similar events is undertaken. Right now, we need to focus on getting the entire county back online.”

He continued, “I have been all over Clare meeting with constituents and taking phone calls from throughout the county over the past 8 days. As recently as yesterday, I met with homeowners in Boston, Tubber and surrounding areas who have been without power since Friday morning. Through my direct contact with the ESB in the Galway maintenance division of which much of this area is situated, power was successfully restored to 36 homes in the area last night with further reconnections expected today and over the weekend.”

“I want to express my gratitude to the utility workers and contractors who have worked around the clock during the most difficult conditions since Storm Éowyn, and who continue to work to restore power, water and telecommunications services. I want to acknowledge the fantastic community response that has been evident throughout the county.

I want to acknowledge my fellow elected members for their efforts and the local authority for the assistance it is continuing to provide in the form of 5 hubs throughout the county. The various Government departments, and particularly Tánaiste Simon Harris, have been responsive to my calls and have provided assistance when requested,” concluded Deputy Cooney.

- Advertisement -

Recent Posts

- Advertisement -
Advertisement
Advertisement