Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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348. To ask the Minister for Finance the actions he is taking to ensure that home owners in areas that previously experienced flooding such as Meadowbrook, Glanmire, County Cork, are given house insurance by providers which they are currently being denied; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31458/15]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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I am very much aware of the difficulties that the absence of flood insurance cover can cause to householders and businesses. However, I do not have the power to direct insurance companies to provide flood cover to specific individuals.

The provision of new flood cover or the renewal of existing flood cover is a commercial matter for insurance companies, which is based on a proper assessment of the risks they are accepting and the need to make adequate provisioning to meet these risks. As a matter of course, insurance companies carry out reviews of the risks against which they are prepared to insure and sometimes make decisions to discontinue certain types of cover which they consider high risk. Insurance Ireland has indicated that 98% of policyholders have household insurance which includes flood cover.

Government policy in relation to flooding is focused on the development of a sustainable, planned and risk-based approach to dealing with flooding problems.  The Office of Public Works is carrying out an assessment of flood risk throughout the country under the National Catchment Flood Risk Assessment & Management (CFRAM) Programme. This programme will include the  production of a comprehensive suite of flood risk maps and the development of flood risk management plans for the areas most at risk. The plans will consider the best possible options, both structural and non-structural, for dealing with the risks on a long-term basis.

This commitment is underpinned by a very significant capital works investment programme which will see up to €225 million being spent on flood relief measures over a five year period from 2012 to 2016. Works are completed on a prioritised basis. Due to the cost and scale of these types of flood defence works, this approach will see benefits over the medium and long term.

The OPW and Insurance Ireland have agreed on a sustainable system of information sharing in relation to completed flood alleviation schemes. The outcome of this arrangement is that the insurance industry will have a much greater level of information and understanding of the extent of the protection provided by completed OPW flood defence works. The industry will therefore be able to use this information when assessing the provision of flood insurance to householders in areas where works have been completed.

The Deputy has raised the issue of flood insurance in Glanmire, County Cork. My officials are advised by the Office of Public Works that a flood relief scheme for the Glanmire area, known as the Glashaboy Flood Relief Scheme, is being developed by Cork County Council with funding from the Office of Public Works. This project is expected to be completed in 2017 at which time, data in relation to it will be shared with Insurance Ireland.

I would also note that the Inter-Departmental Flood Policy Coordination Group, at which my Department is represented, has been reconvened to take a Whole of Government approach that is necessary to support the Flood Risk Management Plans being prepared by the Office of Public Works. The role of this Committee is to co-ordinate recommendations of Government Departments to introduce effective sectoral supports and policy measures in their areas of responsibility with regard to flooding. The Group is tasked with compiling its report to Government by Spring 2016.

I am advised that in cases where individuals are experiencing difficulty in obtaining flood insurance and believe that they are being treated unfairly it is open to them to contact the Insurance Ireland which operates a free Insurance Information Service for those who have queries, complaints or difficulties in relation to insurance. Their service can be contacted at (01) 676 1914 or by email at.