Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I applaud the Government's response to the plight of people in Cork city. It is essential that our second city should be spared the worst excesses of flooding in the future and I suggest that whatever resources are available should be prioritised in regard to Cork city. Works carried out here in Dublin on the Dodder and the Tolka have gone a long way to alleviating the problems that arose.

Regarding the situation in the UK, I am sure the Minister of State is fully aware that they previously used a statement of principles, a voluntary agreement with insurers that informed insurance policy towards at-risk properties. However, this has now been replaced with a water Bill currently before the Houses of Parliament. Included in the Bill is Flood Re, the new policy. Last year the Association of British Insurers, ABI, and the Government agreed a memorandum of understanding on how to develop the model of Flood Re. The not-for-profit scheme has been built to ensure flood insurance remains widely affordable and available. It will be run and financed by insurers as a not-for-profit fund that will cover the cost of flood claims from high risk homes. Insurers will pass the flood risk element from those households deemed at high risk of flooding to the fund. This equates to a levy of ST£10.50 in annual household premiums and represents the estimated level of cross-subsidy that already exists between lower and higher flood risk premiums. Flood Re will be designed to fully deal with at least 99.5% of years. It is a point that has been made. I am sure the Government is examining some similar legislation in this regard in its dealings with the insurance industry.

On the EU solidarity fund, I share the views expressed by various people that there is a need to review that fund. I wish the Minister well in his own aspirations towards a seat in the European Parliament, after our own Fianna Fáil candidate has been elected.

I wish him well. In 2009 the Irish Government secured €13 million under the EU solidarity fund. The fund was set up in 2002 to respond to natural disasters and has been used to deal with the effects of 59 disasters, including storm damage and flooding. In light of all that has happened in recent years, I am sure the Minister of State will agree that the fund needs to be reappraised. +

I commend the Department of Social Protection on the important role it is playing to assist households. The community welfare service's emergency clinics are providing assistance to those who live in the worst affected areas. A number of stages are followed by the Department in its response to emergency events. The first stage is to provide emergency income support and payments for food, clothing and personal items in the immediate aftermath of an event. Stage two involves the replacement of white goods, basic furniture and other essential household items. Stage three involves identifying the longer term financial supports or works required. I welcome the initiatives by the Department because they are helping to alleviate the difficulties faced by some householders after their horrific experiences.

The total expenditure under the humanitarian assistance scheme approved by the Government in 2009 was €2.2 million by the end of last year, in respect of approximately 3,500 payments. Does the Government intend to increase the fund given that the amounts paid out seem small relative to the overall fund? Last year five households were paid a total of €51,450 for refurbishments. I wonder whether that ratio should be improved. I welcome that an initial sum of €15 million has been approved in line with recent Government commitments to provide adequate resources.