Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

Our intention is to distribute it through the community welfare officers. We have met today and will meet again tomorrow to set out exactly how to notify people about applying for this fund. People will only realise the real impact on their homes over the next few days and then they can fall back on this humanitarian assistance. Meanwhile, the exceptional needs and urgent needs funding is available immediately to provide the basics that people need.

We cannot, unfortunately, compensate in full or replace in full but we can support people in these difficult times. That is what we aim to do.

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