Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State will be acutely aware of the devastation caused by flooding to family homes and businesses. I certainly could take lectures from him as opposed to giving him any advice in that regard. When people go through the trauma of having to move out of their house, having availed of cashing in their insurance policy, they will not get insurance cover again for as long as that house or business remains in an area that is on a flood plain or liable to flooding. We would agree on that. However, where good work has been done by the Minister of State's Department or local county councils and flood defences have been put in place which alleviate the risk of any future flooding, it is simply not good enough that people in houses in areas where that work has been undertaken, at a large expense to the State, continue to be refused house insurance. They are living in their homes and the very minimum they can expect is to have the protection of a house insurance policy. When can we expect the Government to ensure that in every area where flood defence mechanisms have been put in place, people will be able to avail of a house insurance policy?

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