Mayo farmers demand landslide compensation

Farmers in north Mayo are demanding thousands of euro in unpaid compensation after a landslide last year damaged their property…

Farmers in north Mayo are demanding thousands of euro in unpaid compensation after a landslide last year damaged their property.

The Department of Agriculture promised up to €100,000 to local farmers to replace dead livestock and help rebuild their farms.

Residents in the Pollathomas area of Co Mayo plan to mark the first anniversary of the landslide this weekend.

Last September's mudslide forced 40 families to leave their homes and resulted in millions of euro worth of damage after heavy rains caused large sections of bogland to move down Dooncarton mountain.

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Mr Gerard McDonnell of the Dooncarton Landslide Committee said: "It's disgraceful that the compensation is still tied up in red tape, one year on."

Many farmers have been forced to take out large debts to repair their farms.

However, a spokesman for the Department of Agriculture said it only received clearance from the EU in July to pay the grant aid.