Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 30 Sep 1997

Vol. 480 No. 6

Written Answers - Flood Damage.

Michael Ring

Question:

199 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Finance the compensation, if any, for flood damage which was paid by the Government to people anywhere in Ireland for each of the years from 1995 to 1997; and if he will categorise the amounts, if any, by county. [14230/97]

Minister of State at the Department of Finance (Mr. Cullen):

Humanitarian assistance payments were made by the Government to people who suffered damages as a result of flooding in early 1995 and early 1996. These moneys were allocated under two separate schemes, the Government humanitarian assistance — home relocation scheme — administered by the Office of Public Works, which provided some £750,000 for the victims of flooding in 1995 whose homes were damaged beyond economic repair or flooded for a prolonged period — in excess of three weeks — and £750,000 for a general humanitarian aid scheme to assist victims of flooding in 1995 and £280,000 in 1996. All entitlements under the latter scheme were determined, and the payments distributed by the Irish Red Cross Society. Moneys under both schemes were provided as humanitarian aid as opposed to compensation.

Details of payments on a county basis are as follows:

Government Humanitarian Assistance — Home Relocation Scheme

Year	County	Amount
		£
1995		Nil
1996	Galway	185,775
	Clare	92,863
	Total	278,638
1997	Galway	172,113
	Clare	2,000
	Total	174,113

Humanitarian Aid Scheme

Year	County	Amount
		£
1995	Galway	377,277
	Clare	118,150
	Cork	21,000
	Carlow	70,150
	Cavan	500
	Dublin	1,500
	Kerry	8,100
	Kilkenny	34,650
	Laois	5,500
	Leitrim	7,250
	Limerick	18,050
	Meath	2,700
	Offaly	12,100
	Roscommon	12,100
	Tipperary	29,100
	Westmeath	7,100
	Wexford	9,850
	Wicklow	4,350
	Longford	1,500
	Total	740,927

Balance to cover the costs of out of pocket expenses incurred by the Irish Red Cross Society in administering the scheme.

Year	County	Amount
		£
1996	Tipperary	228,815
	Cork	1,500
	Kilkenny	17,740
	Waterford	4,000
	Wexford	11,250
	Total	263,305
1997		Nil

Michael Ring

Question:

200 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Finance whether he will sanction emergency funding to people affected by the flash flooding in North Mayo. [14231/97]

Michael Ring

Question:

203 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Finance if he will instruct the Office of Public Works to make a resolution for immediate emergency aid to help all the areas affected by flooding, for long-term measures to be put in place in order that a recurrence of flooding does not happen in North Mayo and to ensure that those affected are compensated for damage caused. [14243/97]

Minister of State at the Department of Finance, (Mr. Cullen):

I propose to take Questions Nos. 200 and 203 together.

There are no plans, at present, for the provision of emergency funding to any of the areas affected by flooding this summer, nor are there funds allocated within the Vote of the Office of Public Works which could be made available as compensation to people who suffered damage due to this flooding.

As it is not considered possible to provide total immunity against such exceptional and rare flood events the Office of Public Works has no plans to carry out any works in the area at present.