State will consider aid requests after flood

DÁIL REPORT:REQUESTS BY local authorities for emergency financial aid to deal with Monday's flooding disaster will be considered "sympathetically" by the Government, the Dáil has heard.

Minister of State for the Office of Public Works Brian Hayes told TDs who sharply criticised the response of local authorities to the catastrophe, that an analysis of the response would be undertaken in coming weeks with input from all authorities and the OPW.

“This will inform the effectiveness of the emergency response and identify any improvements needed,” he said. Significant damage was caused in the floods.

Mr Hayes said any decision to grant aid was a matter for the Government. “Until such time as the full extent of the damage is ascertained, the need for such a scheme cannot be determined.”

Following floods in 2009, some €1.65 million in emergency payments was provided to more than 1,300 households. “The Government will look sympathetically on a request for emergency financial aid should it be made by those authorities closest to last night’s events.”

Dublin Central Labour TD Joe Costello criticised the late flood alert warning by Dublin City Council and said that virtually the entire area of his constituency was flooded. He said “this is the fifth flooding in 10 years . . . We do not want to hear again and again that this is a once in 50 or 100 years event. This is becoming almost an annual event – effectively every two years in my constituency. We will have to bite the bullet and address the issue of the structural works that will be required to deal with this matter once and for all.”

Aodhan Ó Riordáin (Labour, Dublin North Central) said that since the Wad river has burst its banks on previous occasions “the insurance companies are now refusing to insure homes in the Donnycarney area. Those houses are de facto worthless.” He said “they must keep an eye on the skies every day of their lives until the next flood, which is inevitably only months away unless those essential works are carried out”.

He said “families not only have the emotional trauma of having to move out for the couple of months required to fix things again, there is also the huge financial heartache”. The council “has let them down time after time. Although monies have been provided by both the previous government and this Government for the works to be undertaken, people are still waiting for those works to be carried out.”

Mr Hayes said funding had been provided for 2012 for the river Wad in the Donnycarney area and a scheme was being finalised.

The Minister said he had met the Irish Insurance Federation and hoped to announce a new protocol over the next month “which will give a measure of better communication with the Irish Insurance Federation and the insurance companies, whereby they will know the work we have done and will take account of that”. He said “where the State invests colossal sums of money it is utterly wrong that the insurance companies do not provide the insurance cover.

“That is a very real issue for communities throughout the country. My officials are in discussion with the Insurance Federation to see whether we can make some progress on this issue because I am determined that we have a much better means of communication between our department and the insurance companies that they understand that funding is being put in place.”