Sinn Fein Is To Meet with the permanent secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs today, 30 August, to demand assistance be made available to those affected by the recent floods.

The party's agriculture spokesperson Declan McAleer called for a concerted action by statutory agencies and departments to ensure the appropriate response is taken.

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He said: "It is important that department officials on the ground make strenuous efforts to reach out to isolated and vulnerable farmers who have been cut off by the floods and have no access to the internet and other vital services

"We will also raise the possibility of a hardship relief scheme similar to the one introduced by the former Agriculture Michelle O'Neill in response to the snow crisis in 2013.

"People are in the process of cleaning-up and rebuilding and we need to ensure every possible assistance is provided to them."