MEP calls for urgent action to protect farmers and property owners over rewetting flooding claims
Local landowners say that some farmland has now flooded for the first time.
Midlands Northwest MEP Ciaran Mullooly has called for urgent action to protect farmers and property owners from what he claims is flooding caused by Bord na Móna’s (BNM) bog rewetting activities.
Local landowners, including those in east Roscommon, are worried about the condition of rivers in the area which are tributaries of the River Shannon system. They say that some farmland has now flooded for the first time.
Mr Mullooly is urging that proper drainage management and oversight must be put in place before any rewetting proceeds.
More than 50 farmers and landowners in the Mountdillon region along with local public representatives and IFA members attended a meeting in Ballyleague this morning, Tuesday.
“Firstly, it is important to be clear that there is no EU regulation that forces Bord na Móna to maintain existing drains,” Mr Mullooly said. “However, under the EU Nature Restoration Law (NRL), BNM is required to submit a comprehensive rehabilitation package to the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) before any rewetting takes place.
“This package must include a drainage management plan for both the bog and the surrounding lands, along with a Hydrology and Risk Assessment under Article 9.4 of the NRL.”
He stressed that these assessments must be made available to all affected farmers and property owners, and that if they are inadequate, they must be amended to properly address the risks of flooding.
The Midlands–North-West MEP is also calling for the establishment of an independent appeals process to allow farmers and property owners to challenge BNM actions -or inaction - where it can be shown that their land is being negatively affected by poor drainage or water management linked to rewetting projects.
“Rewetting must not become a free pass for flooding farmland,” Mullooly added. “We need clear accountability, transparency, and a fair system for local communities to have their concerns addressed. Farmers should not be left to carry the cost of poor planning or inadequate hydrology management.”
Mr Mullooly said he will be raising the issue directly with the relevant national and EU authorities to ensure proper oversight and fair treatment for affected communities.
The Midlands Northwest MEP has also welcomed the decision of the Minister of State, Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran, to visit flooded farmland along the River Shannon on Saturday.
In response to the flooding claims, a spokesperson for Bord na Móna said that weather conditions arising from Storm Amy last week caused flooding across parts of the midlands.
"There is no evidence of BnM’s peatlands restoration activity (conducted in accordance with its dedicated Peatlands Climate Action Scheme) contributing to this flooding.
"BnM’s Peatlands Climate Action Scheme is entirely separate to the EU’s Nature Restoration Law. BnM is required to carry out rewetting and peatlands rehabilitation under its Integrated Pollution Control (IPC) Licence, which is enforced by the Environmental Protection Agency. The rehabilitation measures proposed under the Peatlands Climate Action Scheme incorporate and enhance those measures required under the IPC licence.
"BnM only conducts rehabilitation work on its own landbank, which is carried out in consultation with adjoining landowners and in accordance with all relevant regulations and standards. BnM’s drainage management plans are submitted to, reviewed, and approved by the National Parks and Wildlife Service.
"To date BnM has rehabilitated over 21,000 hectares of peatlands as part of its PCAS programme, enabling the capture and sequestering of millions of tonnes of carbon while also supporting the restoration of natural habitats for plants and wildlife," said the spokesperson.
