Mr. Lawrence Owens:

No, our organisation has not had any dialogue with the insurance industry. All we can do is take cognisance of the statements and comments it makes and these are causing great concern. As I indicated, the natural assumption among businesses was that if investment was made in a flood defence mechanism designed for a one in 100 year event, the quid pro quowould be the provision of some element of insurance cover and a degree of reasonableness.

As I intimated, we fully accept that it is not against inevitable risk but we are investing substantial amounts of taxpayers' money, particularly in Cork. I visited Fermoy, Clonmel and Waterford where superb flood defence works have proved effective. In 2014, with the exception of one area where flood defence works had not been completed, Waterford was flood proof because the works carried out by the Office of Public Works were effective. If the OPW has delivered the works in Cork to the same standards and level of efficiency, delivery on the insurance side must follow.