Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Over the summer I conducted a survey of 1,000 households in the Ringsend, Irishtown and Sandymount areas which were affected by the event. A significant number cannot obtain any insurance cover and the cost for the majority has doubled. One lady responded that she had been insured for flood cover with Axa Insurance for 20 years and had never experienced flooding but her premium more than doubled. She is afraid to move because she cannot obtain flood cover elsewhere. Another respondent who had never experienced flooding was refused quotes from all companies, and she names the companies in question, despite a flood wall now being in place. A woman who had been insured by Hibernian Insurance, which is now Aviva, for almost 40 years was flooded in 2002 and made a claim. Her policy lapsed earlier this year because she was in hospital and did not renew it. Aviva has refused to renew the cover. Residents received letters from Zurich Insurance advising them it was no longer in a position to provide flood cover. These are just a few examples from a wide-ranging survey.

The OPW spent €8.5 million over four years. To my knowledge, this issue was also raised by the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Hayes, when he met the Irish Insurance Federation. Given the presence of the flood defences the likelihood of these areas being flooded is minor but people still cannot obtain flood insurance. As the Chairman pointed out, some people cannot sell their houses because they cannot get flood cover. I put it to the witnesses that the presentation they made is very different to what is actually happening. They mentioned the substantial work carried out by the OPW in 2002 at a cost of €8.5 million, but the people in the area I surveyed tell the story of what is happening. I can give the witnesses a list of the insurance companies people have contacted which have refused to provide household insurance or doubled the cost of it. Will the witnesses tell me why this is happening?