The chair of the Irish Farmers' Association's (IFA) farm family committee has hit out at the Government’s response to the fallout from storm Éowyn.

Two weeks on from the devastating storm which damaged homes, farm buildings, electricity, water networks and forestry, the IFA’s Teresa Roche said that people in the west of Ireland feel totally left behind.

“I can’t keep up with the phone calls. People are so upset. I’ve had people from Inishbofin ringing me. There isn’t enough being done - regardless of whether you’re an islander or mainlander. People feel left behind,” she said.

Rural areas

Roche said that people in rural areas have been most affected by the effects of the storm.

She said that comments made by the CEO of ESB Paddy Hayes on RTÉ earlier this week - where he stated that electricity costs would likely increase in future due to the aftermath of the storm - provoked a strong reaction.

“People are going mad. People are still out of electricity. The energy credits should be continued on or there should be a relief measure put in place,” she said.

The Galway farmer also said that there are 13,500 farmers owed Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) payments since December.

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People are going mad. People are still out of electricity

“It’s now February. There’s people in Conamara, the islands, that need to repair sheds with this money. They’re not looking for it to go on a holiday to the Bahamas.

“This devastation has cost people money. People on the ground are very angry. Everyone is out on their own trying to get by.”

From a farm safety point of view, she said that the calving season is under way and that there are people on roofs trying to fix them which brings more risk.

Health issues

Roche said that from speaking to nurses, hospitals in the west have seen increased cases of gastroenteritis and that elderly people are being treated for pneumonia.

“There’s poor hygiene and a lack of sanitation. There's dampness in houses from a lack of heat. Some people still don’t have access to hot food or clean water.

“This isn’t an over-reaction. Older people, families with children with disabilities, people with electric beds or dialysis machines, people caring for their husbands or wives are all affected.

“These are isolated rural communities and it’s having a lot of impact mentally as well,” she said.

Roche called on the rural minister in government to take responsibility for the issues on the ground.

For more, see next week’s Irish Farmers Journal.