Tag Archives: Agriculture Minister Michael Creed

AS the impact of Storm Emma continues this week, one farm leader has condemned the national subsidised fodder transport scheme as a “shambles”. Former regional Teagasc advisor, Brendan Henaghan, has also warned that there may not be a plentiful supply of grass on some Clare farms until early May. IFA president Joe Healy has called on the Minister for Agriculture, Michael Creed, to look at the implications of Storm Emma, which looks set to create a major fodder crisis. “Grass growth is at zero in March. Grass is saturated and will rot with any hard frost. We will not see good growth for a few weeks. “The bad weather has put back growth by about a month. It will be at least two weeks before land is dry again and then the cold weather will add to the fodder crisis,” Mr Healy said. He described the introduction of the transport scheme as a “gesture” to tackle the fodder shortage, but …

CLARE farmers will benefit from a long-awaited national fodder transport subsidy, which was announced by Agriculture Minister Michael Creed today (Wednesday). As high volumes of rainfall continue to leave heavier land in parts of West and North Clare saturated, this announcement will provide some comfort to local farmers, who have been worst hit by the fodder crisis. Clare IFA chairman Willie Hanrahan and Clare ICMSA chairman Martin McMahon have consistently called for a fodder transport subsidy and a meal voucher system to ease the plight of farmers, who are running out of fodder. Minister Creed acknowledged that a key issue to resolve was the cost of transporting fodder between those areas where it was plentiful and those where it was scarce. “Fodder remains available across the country but I am conscious of the significant additional cost to farmers, where fodder has to be transported over significant distance to areas where it is most needed. This measure builds on my early …

The new CEO of the Irish Greyhound Board, Bord na gCon, is Gerard Dollard, currently assistant chief executive and director of economic development with Clare County Council. Next September, he will take over as head of the Irish semi-state body, which is responsible for regulating and promoting greyhound racing in Ireland since 1958. Having spent the past 35 years with the local authority, he is stepping down from his Clare County Council position, which includes responsibility for economic development, tourism and planning in the municipal district of Ennis. A native of Limerick city, Mr Dollard has close connections with Clare, as both his parents, now deceased, were from the county. His father, Patrick, was from Erinagh, Fountain, and his mother was Mary Murphy from The Hand. He was also related to the late Sean Ó Murchú, the widely-known county council planning officer officer for many years. Mr Dollard commenced his local authority career with Limerick Corporation and, after 15 years, …