Flooding in Galway is now health risk IFA

The Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) has described the flooding in south Galway as "a serious environmental and health hazard", with raw sewage threatening several homes in the Ardrahan area just north of Gort.

The association has also called on the Government to suspend all further afforestation schemes and to order an environmental study of the impact of recent planting in the Slieve Aughty mountain and Derrybrien uplands. It believes schemes planted by Coillte are contributing to flooding in the limestone region.

One sheep farmer, Mr Gerry Nolan, of Coxtown, Ardrahan, was transporting barrels of water into his home for drinking yesterday, and his family spent their fourth day without toilet facilities since their septic tank became immersed in water.

A father of two, Mr Nolan has an 88-year-old relative in the house, and an eight-year-old daughter with a kidney complaint which has to be treated every two hours.

"About one-third of my land is under water," Mr Nolan told The Irish Times, as he described how he had tried without success to contact the Western Health Board to secure emergency toilet facilities.

The Nolans also experienced flooding in 1995, and subsequently relocated farm sheds. His house is part of a group water scheme in Coxtown, where E.coli levels rendered the water unsafe several weeks ago.

The Nolan farm was one of many visited yesterday by the IFA deputy president, Mr John Dillon, accompanied by Mr Michael Kelly, chairman of the IFA's south Galway branch.

Mr Dillon said it was the worst he had ever seen, and called on the Government to take immediate short-term action to assist farm families affected.

The IFA estimates that some 5,000 acres of farmland are under water.

A long-term solution, based on the £2.5 million allocated in the recent Budget, must also be expedited, Mr Dillon said.

He said farmers were not looking for compensation.

"Compensation is no use to anyone. We want to sit down with the Minister of State, Mr Martin Cullen, and with OPW officials and get this sorted out once and for all," he said.

Earlier this week the Minister of State for Science and Technology and TD for Galway East, Mr Noel Treacy, said that five remedial schemes would be initiated next year. However, it may be next autumn before work begins, after a design and tendering scheme run by the Office of Public Works.