Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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27. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if at the Office of Public Works flood risk management conference being held next week, he will relay the points made by public attendees and community stakeholders, to flood insurance companies in any future negotiations between the Government and those companies in order that the full impact flooding has had on communities will be communicated directly to them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16810/14]

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Insurance Ireland, the representative organisation for the insurance industry, will be in attendance at the OPW Flood Risk Management Conference in Dublin Castle on 10th April 2010. A speaker from Insurance Ireland will be giving a presentation at the conference. There will be a Question and Answer period after each session of the conference and this time will afford delegates the opportunity to make a point or to ask a question regarding insurance or any other relevant flood-related topic directly to the Insurance Ireland representatives and other speakers.

The aims of the Conference are to allow the public and interested stakeholders the opportunity to participate in a public policy debate on flood risk management in Ireland; to examine the background to and impacts of the recent severe weather and flooding; to set out the role of OPW and other organisations in the management of flood risk; to outline work undertaken to date and future plans; and to discuss national priorities and public funding in relation to this issue.

I understand that there are several community and action groups, representing areas that have been affected by flooding, already registered to attend the conference and I look forward to a constructive and productive debate on all flood risk management issues.

On the 24 March 2014 details of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Office of Public Works and Insurance Ireland on the exchange of information on flood defence works were announced by the Minister of State, at the OPW, Mr Brian Hayes, TD and the Chief Executive of Insurance Ireland, Mt Kevin Thompson. This Memorandum of Understanding outlines the principles of agreement between the OPW and Insurance Ireland on the information being provided and how it will be used by the insurance industry. The Office of Public Works will provide Insurance Ireland with data on all completed OPW flood defence schemes which will show the design, extent and nature of the protections offered by these works. Insurance Ireland members will then take into account all information provided by the OPW when assessing exposure to flood risk within these areas from 1 June 2014.

I feel that this is an important step forward for people in areas where flood defences have been provided by OPW, as OPW and Insurance Ireland are now working together to ensure that the flood defence works undertaken in recent years are being taken into account by the insurance industry. There has been a substantial investment of €320 million by the State in all parts of the country on flood relief works since 1995, with over 10,500 properties protected and benefits estimated at more than €1 billion in damage and losses avoided. It is important that the benefits of that investment are felt by all members of those communities.

The OPW has to date provided information on 12 completed flood relief schemes in an agreed format to Insurance Ireland and I now expect to see that, in these protected areas, the insurance industry recognises this significant capital investment on behalf of the taxpayer, and insures properties benefiting from that investment. My Office will continue to work with Insurance Ireland on the ongoing exchange of information on these schemes as they are completed and I am confident that this will lead to a greater availability of insurance to those who currently find it difficult to get.