Farmers who have lost fodder in severe floods are being urged to apply quickly to the Government's assistance fund.

€2 million has been set aside to help farmers replace lost feed for their animals in the coming days and weeks.

Flood waters have encroached on farmlands and sheds, destroying food that had been stockpiled for the winter months.

The deadline for applications is this day fortnight and the Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney says it is easy to apply:

"They will get the full market value of that lost fodder. Farmers essentially need to fill out a self-declaration form, that they can download from the Department's website. Tthey put in the details, it is literally only a one-pager. They put in the details of what has been lost and the volumes of what has been lost, we will send out an inspector to verify what has been lost and then we will pay people quickly."