Farmers gathered in Athlone on Tuesday to protest against the lack of action on flooding.

The protest took place outside civic offices in Athlone to coincide with the OPW public consultation on the Shannon Catchment flood risk assessment and management plan (CFRAM).

Speaking at the demonstration, IFA president Joe Healy said farmers are very angry that no work has yet proceeded to avoid the recurrence of the severe floods of last winter.

“The winter floods had a devastating impact on the livelihoods of thousands of farmers and on rural dwellers who remain fearful that the situation will be repeated because no action has been taken action to prevent it.

"The onus is on the Government to act. Promises are wearing very thin with the thousands of people living and farming adjacent to the Shannon and surrounding areas, including turloughs.”

Severe flooding devastated parts of the country last winter and already water levels in the River Shannon are higher now than they were this time last year.

CFRAMS report

He also criticised the CFRAMS report, saying it ignores rural areas and farmland and where works are proposed, the environmental good is overriding the public good.

"Flora and fauna are taking precedence over people and property. We now have enough paper to fill a room but no work done," he said.

The CFRAMS report will be discussed in each county council area and the IFA president said: “It is important that all councillors in the relevant areas reflect the views of the public to allow the necessary changes to be made before a final document is agreed later this year.”

At the protest, IFA Flood Project Team chair Padraic Joyce also highlighted the ongoing problems in the west of Ireland where water levels on turloughs have not sufficiently receded.

"He said turloughs must be part of a flood management strategy and he called for the necessary expertise to be employed in these areas to find a solution to the problem. Works must be done on turloughs before the onset of winter in areas such as Lough Fuinnseogh in Roscommon and other areas.

Those in attendance at today’s protest came mainly from Longford, Leitrim, Roscommon, Offaly, Westmeath, Galway and Clare.

Listen to the podcasts below where the Irish Farmers Journal's Kate Donohue speaks with local farmers about their views and the impact last year's floods had on them, as well as IFA president Joe Healy:

Kate Donohue contributed reporting for this story.

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