West Tyrone MLA Declan McAleer has urged the Agriculture Minister to bid for money to develop a scheme to help farmers who were devastated by the 2017 landslide in the Sperrins. 

The West Tyrone MLA said: 

“It is approaching four years since an unprecedented landslide devastated farmland, livelihoods and community facilities in the Glenelly Valley and other parts of the Sperrins.

“Farmers have been carrying these losses since, which have been compounded in recent years by the loss of ANC funding and the COVID lockdown of the food service sector, which caused a drop in farm gate prices. 

“I have raised this issue consistently with Minister Poots and it is grossly unfair that the farmers have yet to receive support. 

“There is over £250 million not yet allocated in the January monitoring round and the Finance Minister Conor Murphy has appealed to the DAERA Minister to come forward with proposals to spend this money.  

“I have written to Minister Lyons imploring him to take this opportunity to bid for this funding to compensate the Glenelly farmers and prove that his department support these farmers.”