Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 January 2014
109. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the estimated cost of flood damage caused by superstorm Christine over the Christmas period; the help available from his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2043/14]
View answerThe damage that occurred as a result of the severe weather over the Christmas/New Year period was mostly concentrated on public infrastructure in coastal counties. The damage resulted primarily from a combination of very high winds and tides driving powerful wave action along the shoreline. While some damage from flooding per se did occur in coastal and inland areas, it would not have been as significant as that caused as a direct result of the wind and wave action along the coast.
The Interim Report on Severe Weather presented to Government by the Minister for Environment, Community & Local Government on 14th January, 2014 gives a preliminary estimate of the overall financial impact of damage to public infrastructure from the storms as being of the order of €65m. This is very much a preliminary estimate based on information collated from the Local Authorities. The report does not include damage caused to private property within the overall cost estimates, as Insurance Ireland indicates it will take some weeks before the full picture emerges from the insurance industry.
The Office of Public Works wrote on 10th January to City and County Managers in coastal areas indicating that it will accept applications under its Minor Flood Mitigation Works & Coastal Protection Scheme for funding to assist with repairs to built flood defences and coastal protection structures which have been damaged by the recent storms. This is a once-off measure to reinstate built coastal defences to their pre storm condition. The specific application form for this entitled Coastal Storm Damage Flooding Questionnaire 2014 is available on OPW's website www.opw.ie under Flood Risk Management.
