Shannon protest on flood inaction

AN IFA protest last weekend brought boat traffic on the Shannon to a halt for a time – the action was taken to highlight grievances over flooding, compensation for designated lands and problems with the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS).

A flotilla of small boats prevented traffic from using the main eye of Banagher Bridge over the Shannon from 11am to 1pm on Saturday, as the IFA steps up efforts to put in place a single flood authority across the country.

IFA Flood Project Chairman, Tom Turley told the Farming Tribune that the last things farmers and householders needed now was a lack of focus in terms of putting in place flood relief measures.

“It’s very easy for this issue to be let slip into the back-burner again. It a new Government is put in place over the coming days or weeks, we want an immediate meeting with them to put in place one single waterways authority,” said Tom Turley.

He said that the days of people vulnerable to flooding having to take their case to a number of different agencies had to come to an end and quickly.

“We want the new authority to be put in place and be up and running over the coming months. Those affected by flood issues must be in a position where they can deal with a ‘one stop shop’ in terms of the problems they face,” said Tom Turley.

He also said that with 15% of all land across the country now having a designation with consequent restrictions and devaluation, compensation payments which had been stopped in 2010 now needed to be restored immediately.

“This compensation involved only a relatively modest amount of money but farmers who face severe restrictions on their lands as well as a loss of value, must be looked after,” said Tom Turley.

He also warned that the IFA ‘ban’ on staff from the NPWS entering their lands would continue until such time as there was a change of attitude from that body.