Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I am quite sure that representatives of the insurance companies would be happy to attend the appropriate Oireachtas committee to explain the reasons for their decisions. The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government has responded to the consequences of the flooding in Douglas, Clonakilty and in Cork generally. This is a terrible mess for people and it caused absolute mayhem for those traders who never expected a river to flow into their shopping centre. I sympathise with those who have had their homes and business premises flooded with mud, silt and water. As the Deputy pointed out, it would have been the last thing on their mind to have insurance against floods, depending on their location.

I do not see why representatives of insurance companies should not attend the appropriate Oireachtas committees, but the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, together with the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport and the Minister for Social Protection, will try to respond as best they can for those who had their homes and business premises destroyed by the floods in Cork.

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