Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)

Before the Minister of State was appointed, his name was synonymous with communities fighting back against flooding. He has done stellar work in and out of politics on that. For many people in these areas, insurance is still impossible to get. The term "risk equalisation" is used when applying for health insurance. It means that all people of all ages pay a little bit of a premium so that risk is balanced across older and younger people. The same principle is now being applied by the insurance industry to homes. Between 12,000 and 13,000 homes in the south Clare area cannot get flood insurance cover. Not a week goes by in my office that we do not have to write letters of comfort, which is ludicrous. What does a letter of comfort from a TD really mean? We need to have this fully nailed down by the OPW and the Government so that if there are flood defences or an area has not flooded, the principle of risk equalisation is applied and families are given insurance cover.

A lot of property sales are falling through because once the conveyancing is done, banks will not lend capital if they see that the applicant cannot get flood insurance cover. The Government needs to take that practice to task.

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