Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Putting the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Hogan, in charge of the response to the flooding crisis will do very little to reassure the communities affected. It is a King Canute gesture by the Government. Yesterday, I raised the plight of the householders who, through no fault of their own, have no insurance cover. For the Minister of State, Deputy Hayes, to dismiss this in his usual flippant hyperbolic fashion on cost grounds is not good enough. The communities have responded bravely, as have the front-line services, but many of the families in areas of floods have lived there for generations. Some have already been affected on multiple occasions. There are historic planning debacles but we are talking in the main about the humanitarian plight of ordinary working class communities and small businesses with no major resources of their own. Their property and their belongings are destroyed and they must replace everything from scratch. It is not their fault or responsibility that they cannot get insurance. Surely it is the duty of the State to protect citizens no matter where they live.

There is always money for consultants, bankers and politicians but not enough for citizens in need. Yesterday, the Taoiseach referred to the emergency fund but surely there is a requirement for a specific Government-funded financial aid scheme for those who cannot get emergency insurance cover because of where they live. We do not need to wait for reports. We know the plights of families and small businesses affected. Will the Taoiseach give a commitment to provide financial assistance to householders affected by flooding who have no insurance because no insurance company will insure them?

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