Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Most floods happen because following a lot of rain, there is an inadequate means of getting rid of the water quickly so. Mr. Thompson has said the federation meets the OPW and is trying to understand its processes. Getting a scheme up and running is a tall order because one goes through a painstaking process in allocating public funds.

What seems to be happening is that those living within 500 m of a watercourse are routinely refused. That did not happen before, or certainly I did not come across it until last year. It does not matter how much money the OPW spends from the public purse on remediation works, as one is routinely asked if one lives within 500 m of a watercourse. One may even be living above a river. Why are all of the insurance companies asking this question? Perhaps it is not a cartel in terms of pricing but it is in terms of shared information to ensure no company will incur a larger loss. I have come across situations where people have been refused insurance because they are living within 500 m of a watercourse, even though there is no evidence whatsoever of a risk of flooding. I have also come across people whose insurance premium last year was a few hundred euro but who were asked for €1,000 this year, even though there was no evidence whatsoever of a risk of flooding.

What is the point in entering into a process with the OPW when most mitigation or flood defence measures are taken beside watercourses? The people most likely to be affected are living within 500 m of where the remediation measures have been taken and the ones likely to have had a problem previously. The figure of 500 m is critical in terms of the new approach adopted to offering flood insurance.

The planning process needs to be assisted because there were mistakes made in the past.

There is no doubt that houses, businesses and so on have been built on flood plains. There has even been a problem in some areas during the construction of motorways because the planners did not adequately take note of the water table. The more information in the public arena the more of a problem that poses for the public with regard to adequate protection.

Will a certification process emerge from the federation's dealings with the Office of Public Works? The delegation referred to the letters sent by South Dublin County Council and Dublin City Council. Kildare County Council has also sent letters where there have been instances of flooding. Does the delegation intend to establish a certification process? What way will it feed the information to its affiliated insurance companies?

I wish to inquire about shared services. Does the federation have a blacklist of areas that are prone to flooding or another risk? Is the list shared with its insurance companies? Does it advise its companies that risk cover is inadvisable for reasons such as flooding, burglaries or whatever?

I can bear witness to the fact that local authorities do positive work, including in my area of Kildare. However, the positive work has not benefited people, from an insurance point of view, who have experienced flooding. Defences were put in place and they were tested by floods yet people still encounter difficulties when it comes to flood insurance cover. It would be quite useful for us to know what information the federation provides to its insurance companies.

It was stated in the presentation that the federation believes that "the 2009 planning guidelines are deficient and too complex" and were "only advisory". I, too, have sat on a local authority and was involved in the compilation of a county development plan from mid-2008 to 2009. The information that was used was advisory and also taken on board. What deficiencies does the federation see in the planning guidelines? I cannot see it and spoke of my experience. Perhaps Kildare County Council was good at preparing its plan. I would be pleased to hear any problems because if a problem is identified then it can be resolved.

The need for focus was also mentioned. I accept that there is a management issue when it comes to keeping drains and culverts clear and all of the rest of it. There is no point putting good systems in place if they will be blocked. The federation mentioned that all high risk areas need a risk management plan. There is risk assessment through the county development plans. Does the federation agree? Is more needed?

I wish to return to my key provision on the 500 m distance between a water course and a building. I only came across that provision in the past year. The provision has had a heavy impact on locations where there has never been evidence of flooding even after a number of instances of fairly severe weather. I know that such instances did not have an equal impact on all parts of the country. Since 2000 there have been more 100-year return floods in the area that I am talking about. There is ample evidence of floods and remediation systems have been put in place.