A €10m humanitarian fund will be given to households through community welfare offices. €5m will be administered by the Red Cross on behalf of the Government to aid small businesses that suffered damage to their property in the current flooding.

The IFA is calling for farmers to be included in the €5m Red Cross funding.

“Farm businesses have been severely affected and have suffered financial losses and they deserve the same treatment as businesses in urban areas,” said IFA flood project chairman, Tom Turley. The IFA has also called for all outstanding payments to be made to farmers in affected areas and that no cross compliance checks take place in the affected areas.

Flexibility

Minister for Agriculture, Simon Coveney, has announced that a degree of flexibility will be shown in relation to issues surrounding the disposal of slurry in overflowing tanks and in relation to the movement of animals, in consultation with district veterinary offices.

Shannon rising

Flood levels on the Shannon are rising steadily and are expected to peak on Sunday 13 December. The stretch of river from the Lough Derg to Limerick city is most at risk.

“Water levels are stabilising in many rivers and falling in some,” said Sean Hogan in a meeting of the National Emergency Coordination Group.

“The biggest concern is the lower Shannon catchment area. The situation is being managed by the ESB and relevant local authorities.”

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