The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform has said he has no plans to make additional funding available to the Department of Agriculture to help farmers affected by the bad weather.

Paschal Donohoe said he planned to discuss issues facing farmers in the near future.

“I will engage with the Department of Agriculture in a number of days time regarding whether further measures are needed,” he said.

“But we have no plans to bring forward an additional budget.

“What can normally happen during a year is that Government ministers and their departments can decide to make additional measures available from inside the funding that’s allocated to them on Budget Day.”

Paschal Donohoe in the Newstalk studio. Image: Newstalk

The IFA  has urged the Government to put in place support to help them get through what they describe as one of the worst winters in living memory.

The call comes as heavy rain and high winds are expected when Storm Kathleen arrives in Ireland this weekend.

IFA President Francie Gorman said the government must put in place measures to support farmers.

“[We want] all current payments that are due to farmers to be fast tracked,” he said.

“We look for easy and accessible credit to be available… We’re getting into a situation - particularly with the weather - where more may be needed.

“If that’s the case, the Government are going to have to come up with a package to support farmers to get them out of this difficult period.”

Main image: Farmers in the rain.