North County Dublin vegetable and potato growers to benefit from compensation scheme

Date: 05/02/2010
Posted by: Darragh

Further to a meeting which I held last Monday with the North Dublin Growers Group, please see below details of a compensation scheme which was announced on Wednesday by the Minister for Agriculture. I am very pleased with this announcement and hope that it will be of some assistance to the horticultural sector. I have circulated details of the compensation scheme to all relevant growers in Dublin.

“North County Dublin vegetable and potato farmers will be able to avail of a new Government compensation programme if their crops were damaged by the bad weather, according to local TD, Darragh O’Brien.

Deputy O’Brien, who has long campaigned on behalf of local growers, said, “I am delighted that growers can avail of this scheme, which will be confined to actual loses and will be conditional on more than 30% of the crop having been destroyed.”

Deputy O’Brien recently attended a meeting with approximately 60 growers in Rush, convened by Mr. PJ Jones, to discuss this matter and, in the last fortnight, has tabled parliamentary questions calling for a compensation scheme of this kind. 

Growers who wish to be considered for the financial assistance will be required to complete a ‘Crop Damage Assessment Form’, available on the Department of Agriculture’s website or at your local Teagasc office. Eligibility for assistance will be determined by an analysis on a case by case basis of the information provided. 

Deputy O’Brien continued, “I would encourage any vegetable and potato growers in North County Dublin to look into this scheme and to apply for the compensation being offered.”

“I have seen a large number of local growers whose crops were badly hit by the severe weather and I hope this will come as some relief to them.”

“It is important that anyone who is interested makes sure they get the paperwork together as quickly as possible. The forms will be available from Monday, 8 February and the deadline for applications is Tuesday, 16 February so anyone in North County Dublin looking to apply will need to do so by then,” added Deputy O’Brien.

I would be obliged if you could pass this on to anyone that you think may benefit from this scheme. If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact me.