Mr. James Doyle:

I come from near Killarney and I referred to the townland situation. When one goes to an insurance company and gives one's name and address the employee presses a couple of buttons on the computer to bring up the map. Although part of a townland or area has never experienced flooding, it could be blacklisted as part of an entire area, and as a result a premium is put on the policy whereby the property cannot be insured. A study needs to be done to quantify the problem and establish where it is and come to a sensible conclusion on how to deal with it. Certain towns and urban areas have rivers or are built on river basins. Work can be done in towns such as Mallow, Clonmel or Clonakilty but this is a different problem to a person in an individual house at the mercy of an insurance company with no redress by way of protection. Perhaps part of the problem is a legacy of the Celtic tiger when building was done on flood plains. This is another big area which needs to be addressed. A study must be done to quantify the problem, see where exactly it is and who is affected and establish who will pick up the tab.