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Dáil
‹ Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation

Shass Mountain landslide support

Summary

Deputy Harkin sought continued payments and supports after the Shass Mountain landslide affected land and roads in Leitrim. The Tánaiste said he would raise the issue with the Agriculture Minister.

I re-echo the Tánaiste's words in thanking Oireachtas staff and members of an Garda for all their work. I wish them and their colleagues well over the coming few weeks. Just over a year ago, a major landslide occurred at Shass Mountain, Drumkeeran, County Leitrim. Leitrim County Council did sterling work in ensuring that bridges and roads were secured. About two or three months ago, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy McConalogue, guaranteed that basic payments would continue for this year under force majeure.

However, that is only for this year. In a couple of months' time, I will be back in the House asking about the situation and that cannot continue. The long-term issue of compensation for land that is rendered useless, and we are talking about 170,000 tonnes of peat that was deposited across lands in Leitrim, is completely up in the air. There have been similar schemes previously when land was destroyed, for example, in Inishowen, but, so far, there has been nothing about the situation in Leitrim. I ask the Tánaiste to look into this matter.

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Leo Varadkar The Tánaiste Fine Gael

I will certainly do that. I will be in touch with the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, next week about some other matters. I will raise this issue with him and let him know what the Deputy said in the Chamber.

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