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TILLAGE FARMERS WHO lost an average of 60% of their crops last year will protest outside the Dáil this afternoon calling for “humanitarian aid” from Government to help them cope with their losses.
Tillage farmers in the west of Ireland had one of the worst harvest seasons in recent history last year due to bad weather conditions.
Persistent heavy rain in certain areas led to significant losses of crop for a number of farmers. The areas affected extend mostly from Cork City in the south, spreading out north and westwards up to Derry and Donegal.
IFA grain committee chairman Liam Dunne told TheJournal.ie that about 250 farmers were badly affected. The average loss of crop for these farmers was about 60%, with some farmers having lost up to 100% of their harvest.
Dunne said that losses like this are almost entirely unprecedented in this sector of agriculture.
“Some parts of Kerry had the highest rainfall they’ve had for years,” he said. “Lots of crops were lost which is a very unusual thing to happen.”
The crop was literally beaten into the ground by the end of the month and there was nothing left to harvest.
In the months following, farmers recorded their harvests and passed on the information to the IFA and the Agriculture Department.
The monetary losses are compounded by the cost of growing crops in the first place. Dunne pointed out that it costs about €400 to grow a cereal crop on an acre of land.
The costs of seeds and equipment is incurred whether or not the grow is successful, which has put many of the farmers into serious debt.
“It’s not just a matter of not having an income. Farmers are losing money as well,” said Dunne.
Humanitarian support is what’s needed.
Emergency fund
The IFA and affected farmers are now calling on the Agriculture Department to provide an emergency fund to help the farmers deal with their difficult financial situation.
Dunne said that when the accumulative losses of the 250 or so affected farmers were taken into account, it came to about €3.5 to €4 million. If this money was provided it could be paid back next year after a successful season.
Fianna Fáil will today present a motion during Private Members’ Business calling on Agriculture Minister Michael Creed to establish a crisis support fund for the affected farmers.
Fianna Fáil spokesperson on agriculture Charlie McConalogue said he was “shocked by the minister’s complete failure to engage with this issue”.
“Despite calls for a compensation fund to assist these farmers, the Government has stood back and refused to move on the issue,” said McConalogue.
The Government is expected to oppose the motion this evening, with the matter due before the Dáil at about 4.30pm.
It is believed the Government will put forward a counter-motion in which it reaffirms it commitment to supporting tillage farmers and sets out other measures to address the losses and hardships faced by farmers after the poor season.
Principal of these is the commencing the rollout of a €150 million Agri Cash Flow Support Scheme as a direct response.
This scheme will function as a low interest, flexible loan for tillage and horticulture farmers for amounts of up to €150,000 at an interest of 2.95%.
Liam Dunne of the IFA said that this measure would not be effective as struggling farmers may already have significant loans out with banks already that they are unable to pay back.
Other measures to be put forward by the Government will include examining measures to assist struggling farmers, promoting the use of native grain and Irish malt in the manufacture of Irish whiskeys and beers and others.
Dunne said he expected 300 to 400 people to attend a protest outside of Leinster House at about 3pm today.
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Just watched this onl eaders questions.
Kenny is such a fool, he thinks the good old banks will do the right thing and if they dont the new insolvency legislation coming into force in March 2013 will make them.
RTE for once pointed out that the Banks have a Veto on the insolvency law.
A FF spokesman said a Paramedic he knows cant even afford to switch on the heating for his 3 kids because of mortgage debts. (Example of Unifit Parents for the new Childrens referendum?).
But meanwhile that Joke of a leader thinks everything is rosy in Ireland. I bet Kenny wont ever have to worry about heating his home or paying debts with his huge 200K plus pension and multiple pensions.
200k salary and multiple pensions I should have said!
Last related article at the end of the page says it all really, 1 in 5 mortgages will default by 2013…..
Nothing wrong with defaulting. The banks were bailed out with €70 billion of the people’s money. Apparently, Kenny thinks it’s OKAY to continue paying their bondholders.
“Nothing wrong with defaulting” .
Except unfortunately based on the past performance of the government they will bail them out more on the mortgage default, and pass it on to the tax payer. Banks will always be the winner. Tieing private debt to public debt was basically signing our country away to speculators, and forcing our children to be slaves for the European elite
‘Banks know what government wants them to do’, Taoiseach?
But more important, governments are doing what private bankers want them to do.
You were elected to govern in our interests and put manners on these white-collar criminals(see under Iceland/Democracy/Cojones).
They were NOT elected by ANYONE to siphon off our wealth to repay gambling speculators.
And neither were you elected to continue business-as-usual with implementation of FF/PD blank-chequery for unsecured bondholding billionaires.
We voted a change of government, not of shirt.
Kenny all bluster and feck all else.
Headline should read ” Government knows what the banks want them to do “
1 in 5 will default,solution sit down with chartered accountant paid for by bank to go through options put forward by bank.This will work no question about it.Lastly still no mention of buy to let mortgages,absolutly thousands of these in trouble not even being addressed.
Apparent that Fine Gael don’t care about people. FG only care about Merkel.
Una Dev
Who do you think will be paying to refinance the Banks a second time……Santa Claus?
Paddy the banks have already been recapitalised including provision for bad mortgage debt.The banks are sitting on this money instead of recognising the loss.This is only prolonging the obvious and delaying any hope of recovery in the domestic economy.
It just dawned on me how brainwashed some Fine Gael supporters really are!
Una
Yes they are brainwashed … But do not let them bully you .
Since most of the banks are now state owned , which means they are owned by the people , shouldn’t we TELL the banks what we want ? . They have taken our money to bail them out , it’s time to for them to repay this debt
Didn’t work because you allowed the removals at the Gestapo hour of 3a.m.
Ireland, brief a nation, now a province once again.
Worry yourself not Jason.
From your self-satisfied response I doubt you are much more awake in or out of your bed.
Sweet daydreams.
Very good.
Post you supercilious troll, and then accuse those who respond of being in search of reaction.
So, while your waiting for your fuhrer to ‘get the Irish people on side from day 1′, your direction is to deride any who make an effort to kick start solidarity.
The name for that is ‘useful idiocy’. I trust you will be awake enough to know who you are of use to.
Thats the trouble with fascisms, they do neither self-awareness nor the necessary precursor self-criticism.
And they too grow gradually.
Don’t take that personally, its meant as a general observation. And a caution.
People of Ireland : Government know what the Electorate voted them in for
.
Doesn’t mean its going to happen though
Anyone feel like Ireland is a third world country being asset stripped and our government are standing by letting it happen,sure twill be grand they’ll say…. My arse…. What about our fecking resources sector that should exist and hike to tax take on it. It all helps, bring back INPC
True.
Kids know what their parents, want them to do but they don’t do it. So Enda, grow a pair and lay it out for them!
Can I get this right in my head? If you can’t / won’t pay your mortgage and I’m sure there are plenty who won’t pay you just hang on until this insolvency bill is passed and demand the bank to give you a write down. What will happen to the people busting a gut and paying? just keep paying? great solution where do I sign up?
To get any write down through the new banking legislation will require at least 65% of all creditors to agree to your debts being wrote down.
In other words the Banks have a Veto on any write downs through the new insolvency legislation.
nice one Enda, bending over for the Banks since 2008.
Snuffbox your right lets only help bondholders,developers and bankers.Our neighbours,friends and loved ones well tough sh#t.Their problem right?Sadly no if you have debt forgiveness an entire generation will be economic zombies and a drag on the domestic economy.As i said earlier the banks already have the money to allow for mortgage debt writedown.We gave it to them 2to 3 years ago.
Sorry “if you have no debt forgiveness”is what i meant.
“Banks know what the Govt wants them to do”……. But they still won’t do it…..
either the banks do as they`re told or replace the over paid staff with someone that will………simple
sorry Phillip, I think you have Ireland confused as a country where the government care about the people. Reality is Enda & the boys couldnt give a shit.
Philip
Who is going to tell them ? Enda and Co are Cowards and will not upset the banks . Did you see The Frontline on Monday night just gone ? Brian Hayes sitting like a nodding dog beside the man from the banks ! Grrr !
Revolution may have made Ireland independant, but it will take another revolution to set the country free.
I love that word ”verbage” it sounds like verbal garbage, which is exactly what Kenny speaks. Verbal Garbage .
I agree there’s nothing wrong with defaulting , but it will benefit the same greedy speculators who couldn’t control there greed that will take advantage from this.
In my view this insolvency law is going to cause more problems that it solves. It sounds like a bad piece of legislation. The UK looks like a good,
damn phone! the uk looks like a better deal than here if your unemployed. if you go there & declare bankruptcy you could actually sort it out before the legislation is in place here & be discharged by the end of next year. Again the government fails it people.
Teenagers should feel outraged that the Banks way of doing thigs is compared the their them.
Large fingers?Still know what you meant though.My 13 year is incensed at the comparison.
Kenny said that he was “not satisfied with the pace of resolution”
I love it when Kenny tries to appear as some kind of disinterested bystander.
have your say