Vol. 471 No. 5
21 Miss Quill asked the Minister for the Environment if his attention has been drawn to damage done to 19 houses in the Shandon area of Cork city due to a burst watermain; and if he will make a contribution to Cork Corporation to enable it to meet the costs arising from this flooding disaster. [21129/96]
Cork Corporation notified my Department of the incident which occurred on 4 November and is carrying out an investigation to establish the cause of the burst watermain. The operation and maintenance of water supplies is a matter for the local authority concerned. In these circumstances, a contribution towards costs arising has not been sought from my Department, nor would I expect such an application to be made.
I understand from the corporation that discussions have begun, involving its insurers and representatives of the householders whose homes have been damaged, to consider whether the corporation's liability insurance might provide a source of compensation. I also understand the corporation is carrying out surveys to assess the stability of the houses after the incident. It has also taken action to make the houses habitable again as soon as possible by installing equipment to eliminate the dampness following the flooding.
