Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The storms of recent weeks have, as the Minister rightly said, inflicted massive damage on homes, commercial property, farmland and infrastructure. The Government's support and response must be adequate. I am glad to hear the Minister raise the issue of transferring information between the Government, the OPW and the insurance industry in regard to outstanding insurance claims in order to assist property owners to access insurance, based on the claims they are making on foot of their current policies. We will later on get to the other issue of those who do not have insurance.

The Government reaction in addressing the short-term situation has been mentioned. The Government has made €70 million available to deal with roads, infrastructure and the amenities throughout the local authority infrastructure in the country, which is welcome. Will the Minister make available to the House the submissions made by the relevant local authorities? The Minister said €25 million is available to the Department of Social Protection, and this is being dealt with by community welfare officers and so forth. From talking to many people, including Deputy O'Dea in Limerick, Deputy Dooley in Clare and Deputy Browne in Wexford, I know these welfare officers are dealing adequately with the claims that are made for the essentials to live day to day, such as in regard to fridges, beds and the like. However, the one gap that exists and about which people are frustrated is the question of where stands the State in regard to the massive damage done to their residential property, where no insurance was available to them when the storm or the flood hit. What progress, if any, has been made in that regard? What efforts are being made? What have the co-ordinating committee, the Minister's Department and other Departments put together with a view to addressing that issue, because it is the broader issue that has yet to be detailed?

For anyone who was not aware of it, "Prime Time" last night showed that, since 2009, when funds were put into Clonmel, the situation there has improved immeasurably. The Minister of State, Deputy Hayes, has said on numerous occasions that he cannot prevent flooding. However, he can make a good stab at limiting its effects into the future. We need funding to be made available and not only from the Exchequer.

I am surprised the Minister has not gone down the avenue of EU assistance or explored the possibility of funds coming from the National Pensions Reserve Fund whereby a list of flood defence mechanisms in various cities and coasts around the country over the next number of years could be agreed and prioritised. Figures are being bandied about by the Minister of State in respect of how much it will cost to rectify the situation in Cork, Limerick, etc. However, we do not know this exactly until the experts put it down on paper and the Minister looks at the cost-benefit analysis of any such work. In respect of submitting that to the EU for assistance, this funding is available. My colleague, Deputy Dooley, clarified that with the relevant Commissioner. A figure was mentioned last night and it was stated that if it is not in excess of €800 million, it cannot be accessed. Cork alone is to cost €150 million. Issues need to be addressed not only at the coasts, but inland, as the Minister said in respect of in respect of rivers like the Nore, Barrow and Shannon. People have seen overhead footage on television of the damage caused by the Shannon burst. I meet that every year. It is nothing new to me; it only happens to be worse this year. However, it has become a summer phenomenon as well. The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and others are well aware of the representations we have been making on an ongoing basis for that to be addressed. On foot of the relevant committee producing a report in conjunction with relevant stakeholders, we asked for it to be debated in the House 12 months ago. It is still not here.

There have been lapses in concentration, the eye has been taken off the ball and commitments have been made throughout the country. I have seen Ministers visiting various disaster areas over the past number of weeks, be it the Minister for Finance in Limerick and others in Clare, Wexford, Waterford and Cork. This is welcome and must be done in order to assess the damage and have first-hand knowledge of the effects on the ground in real terms so that one can come back to Government and the expert group and access the expertise one has at one's disposal with a view to putting a plan in place to address these issues not only in the short term, but in the medium and long term. I ask the Minister to consider what we are proposing by virtue of pooling the resources of the Exchequer, the EU and the National Pensions Reserve Fund. A good programme can be put in place that would have the support of the House in order to prioritise in the first instance and address those issues thereafter, having established by virtue of cost-benefit analysis the success that can be achieved, as was proven to be the case in Clonmel.

I do not want the Minister to lose sight of the inland situation. I will not repeat myself but the Minister knows where they are. He knows they are in Offaly, east Galway, Roscommon, Westmeath and even down in the Minister's own area in respect of the other freshwater rivers. Those two issues have to be addressed. There is an immediacy about coastal areas in respect of the amenities that lend themselves to the tourist industry and it is paramount that procedures and funds are put in place for that to be done as soon as possible so that those coastal villages and towns that depend greatly on that sector can look forward to that issue being resolved.

We all have a duty to address the availability of insurance after these sort of episodes considering that we have been reminded of it on numerous occasions over the past ten years. We in Fianna Fáil will not be found wanting in that regard and will bring forward a Bill in the House to address this issue based on the English model that has been successful in similar circumstances. I hope we would have support from the Government if it has not already brought forward legislation to deal with the issues before then.

People's property has been damaged greatly to the tune of €40,000 or €50,000 in some cases, be it in Limerick, Waterford or Wexford. We hope that the €25 million given to the Department of Social Protection will deal with the necessities to allow people to get by for the moment. However, the bigger picture is that those people have no insurance and have been offered no assistance, solace or comfort as to what road they need to travel for that to be addressed. I hope the Minister would make providing some comfort in that area a priority in the days and weeks ahead. I reiterate that the Minister should pool our resources and those of the EU and the National Pensions Reserve Fund with a view to putting a plan in place to meet the bland commitments and promises that are being made rather than rehashing them when we meet the same issue this time next year or even before then, as is the norm. The Minister knows from communications we have had at the committee that there is an obligation to move ahead with the relevant legislation to give effect to the heads of the climate action and low carbon development Bill 2013 which were introduced last year.

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