I have no plan to declare the south Galway region a disaster area. There is no legal basis for such a designation and it would not of itself make any additional assistance available to households or to businesses which have suffered as a result of the severe flooding.
The Government has initiated several positive measures to assist people who have been affected by the flooding in south Galway and elsewhere. An allocation of £2 million was made to assist farmers who lost livestock or fodder. The guidelines for this scheme are being interpreted flexibly and the ongoing situation is being monitored to determine whether any further measures are necessary. An additional allocation of £4 million has been made available for the improvement of county roads.
The community welfare officers who operate the supplementary welfare allowance scheme on behalf of the Department of Social Welfare have been assisting some people, including some who would not normally qualify for social welfare payments, who have encountered exceptional or urgent needs.
I have secured an allocation of 325,000 ECUs, £260,000 approximately, from the European Union as a gesture of solidarity with those affected by the flooding. This will be distributed by the Irish Red Cross Society.