Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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61. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will immediately put forward an application to the EU solidarity fund to help with the disasters caused over the past number of weeks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1324/14]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The EU Solidarity Fund was set up by the European Union to respond to major natural disasters and express European solidarity with disaster-stricken regions within Europe. A major disaster is defined as damage estimated at over €3bn or 0.6% of GNI. In Ireland’s case this would amount to approximately €770 million. In exceptional circumstances, however, when the damage is below this threshold, an application can be made but only where a region has suffered an extraordinary natural disaster affecting the major part of its population and with serious and lasting repercussions on the living conditions and the economic viability of the region. Assistance in these cases is at the rate of 2.5%. While two thirds of applications are made on the basis of exceptional circumstances, most do not succeed. Moreover, for the budgetary period 2014-2020, the annual budget has been halved from €1 billion to €500 million, and the Commission has indicated that future grants are likely to be 50% lower than previously.

Any Government decision on this matter will be made in the context of reporting from the Minister for the Environment, Community & Local Government on the recent severe weather.