Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The flooding of homes and businesses after the severe rainfall as a result of Storm Desmond has been absolutely devastating. Since the last serious floods, in 2009, there have been some remedial works. These are very welcome. More have been postponed pending the completion of consultants' reports and the CFRAM studies. As a result, families and businesses have been left without flood insurance. In the past six years, we have seen two floods of a kind that tend to occur but once in 100 years. Sadly, we are by no means out of the woods.

There has been a delay in the distribution of pumps and sandbags to flood-prone communities due to delays by the national co-ordination committee in providing appropriate warnings to the local authorities. What we now need is immediate financial support for the victims. Families need a fund that is easily accessible. Staff from the Department of Social Protection should be deployed to assist with completing the forms. The families need funding immediately to cover the costs associated with being out of their homes. Furthermore, provision needs to be made for relocation and for the refurbishment of homes. Individuals in marooned communities who need to be relocated as we speak, particularly in the Shannon Callows, need to be provided with alternative accommodation, and the associated costs need to be met.

Businesses, particularly businesses with no flood insurance, need to be compensated for the loss of income and stock and for the staff wages that must be paid at the end of this week. Provision needs to be made for the extension of bank loans until compensation kicks in for landlords, and overdraft and term facilities must be made available to businesses in respect of their stock. Funding needs to be made available for refurbishment costs, and there needs to be rates relief.

Fodder has been destroyed on farms, and funding needs to be put in place to replace it. Where stock have been taken out of sheds, bed-and-breakfast costs need to be covered.

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