Maura Hopkins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I wish to raise issues related to the voluntary homeowners relocation scheme. Nobody takes the decision to seek to leave their own home lightly but where a person is left without options, we must ensure we provide the greatest possible level of support for homeowners. This scheme is apparently targeted at individuals whose homes are no longer suitable due to flood risk but I am working with a family whose home is located in a turlough area and they have been rejected for the scheme. The family, their neighbours, the wider community, emergency services and the county council all worked around the clock for days and weeks to keep flood waters out of their home. Their entire property was surrounded by several feet of water but they successfully managed to keep the waters out. This scheme is not supporting them. We are punishing them for the hours of work they put in and had they not taken action, but let the flood waters into their home, they would have been accepted into the scheme.

The OPW and local authority have not found an engineering solution that would remedy the flood risk and this family has not been able to secure flood insurance. There has been no site visit from the OPW. The scheme does not serve its intended purpose. Turlough areas are very unpredictable in terms of water levels. Are we going to allow this family live in constant fear of flooding and of losing their home, as they do at the moment? It is illogical to punish a family which worked tirelessly to protect their home, which otherwise would have suffered significant damage. I ask the Leader to invite the Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Kevin Boxer Moran, who has responsibility for flood relief, to come in here. I want him to tell Members how he will support and is supporting families like the one I have mentioned. I also want him to tell Members how many people have applied for the scheme and how many people have been accepted into the scheme.