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

I thank the council staff, emergency services, including An Garda Síochána, the Army, Civil Defence, the Irish Red Cross Society and staff from the Office of Public Works, some of whom I met in Ballinasloe, and the farming and local communities for their tremendous efforts over the last ten days in terms of their actions once water levels started to rise. However, had there been a small bit of pre-planning once the heavy rain was anticipated a lot more properties could have been saved from the flooding. Since the last serious flooding event in 2009, some remedial works, which are welcome and have been successful, were carried out in some towns but more were postponed upon completion of the Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management report. Delays in obtaining pumps and sandbags impacted on particular towns and communities. There is need for a protocol to be put in place to ensure that this does not happen again. We have experienced two 100-year flood events in the past six years. The probability is that we are going to experience more 100-year flooding events in the not too distant future and we need to be prepared for them.

I welcome that businesses are eligible for funding under the humanitarian support scheme put in place by the Government. However, funding under this scheme will be only in respect of returning a business to its state pre-flooding and not for any loss of earnings incurred. The Minister of State, Deputy Kehoe, will be aware that this fund which is being administered through the Department of Social Protection does not facilitate the many businesspeople who do not have money to put bread and butter on the table because to be eligible for this funding their homes had to be flooded. As such, these people have no current income and will be at a loss of income that would have been generated during the most profitable time of the year, which money would usually carry them through the lean months in the early part of next year. Something needs to be done to assist these people.

I would like to put a number of questions to the Minister of State in regard to the application form for this funding. First, can a landlord who signs a form for a tenant in respect of a commercial premises also make an application under this scheme for structural damage to that premises? Second, will consideration be given to inclusion under this scheme of landlords whose private residential properties have been damaged by flooding, which properties need to be repaired and returned to the market as quickly as possible? Third, why must an applicant provide evidence that a property has been flooded? We were told that no documentation would be required in respect of the initial €5,000 claim. It now transpires that the initial application must be verified by a local authority prior to its being forwarded to the Irish Red Cross Society, which creates an unnecessary layer of bureaucracy. My concern is that this will discourage some people from availing of this funding. There is also a need for engagement with the banks to ensure there is flexibility in relation to loans, including extension of same and so on. A rates release scheme must also be put in place on behalf of victims of flooded commercial premises.

The Taoiseach said earlier in the House that farming is a business but it is specifically excluded from the Irish Red Cross Society administered scheme. A considerable amount of fodder has been damaged and destroyed. While this not an issue now the unavailability of fodder in the early part of next year will be an animal welfare issue. Financial provision needs to be made for farmers that have lost fodder as a result of the recent flooding.

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