Shannon Callows flood payments 'a once-off' – Heydon

Irish Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, has stated that the 2023 Shannon Callows Flood Scheme was a 'once-off measure' and that there are currently no plans to introduce another similar scheme. He made these comments in response to a query from TD Martin Daly regarding supports for persistent elevated water levels and flooding in the Shannon Callows.

Minister Heydon clarified that his department is not involved in managing the water levels of the River Shannon. However, following exceptional flooding in the summer of 2023, the Shannon Callows Flood Scheme was announced on November 7, 2023, as a one-off initiative to support farmers who had lost fodder. During that summer, farmers in the region experienced thousands of acres of fodder flooding, resulting in the loss of tens of thousands of bales. In November 2023, then-Minister Charlie McConalogue secured cabinet approval for an €800,000 scheme to assist these farmers.

Separately, in October of the previous year, a new website was launched to provide public information on flood risk and water levels on the River Shannon. Minister of State Kevin 'Boxer' Moran, responsible for the Office of Public Works (OPW), announced this website, which is managed by the Shannon Flood Risk State Agency Coordination Working Group. This group was established in 2016 after severe flooding in the River Shannon Basin. Minister Moran also confirmed that €2 million will be allocated for future strategic maintenance work on the Shannon.