A scheme to support farmers recovering from a bout of severe flooding on the Cooley Peninsula in 2023 has been opened by Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue on Wednesday.

The peninsula saw extreme flooding at the end of November and the beginning of December 2023, which caused damage to farmland and fodder.

The Cooley Flood Damage Relief Scheme will provide supports to affected farmers to restore farmland, as well as repairing or replacing damaged farm fencing, gateways and roadways.

Costs associated with the flooding-related loss or damage of feed and fertiliser are also to be supported as part of the scheme.

Application packs

Application packs are to be posed to affected farmers over the coming days and the scheme will close to applications on 31 July.

Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue encouraged all affected farmers who had not yet contacted the Department of Agriculture to do so.

“While the impact of the weather event was in a relatively small part of the Cooley Peninsula, the damage caused was significant. This scheme is a critical support to the farmers of that region,” the Minister said.

“I would encourage impacted farmer to apply and provide any necessary supporting documents to allow the applications to be processed in a timely manner.”

Fianna Fáil’s Senator Erin McGreehan, who had called for the scheme in the Seanad, welcomed the measure brought forward by Minister McConalogue.

“By creating this funding measure, he has ensured that the financial burden placed on farming families who were severely impacted by the natural disaster will most definitely be alleviated,” the senator said.