Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

104. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the amount allocated and spent to date under the humanitarian fund for flooding, by county. [4420/16]

Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

131. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of persons who applied under the humanitarian assistance scheme as a result of recent flooding; the number of these who received relief; the average amount of relief per applicant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4250/16]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

135. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the financial support available to a family (details supplied) who have no house insurance and have suffered great financial loss after their house was flooded twice. [4295/16]

Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 104, 106, 131 and 135 together.

The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government is the lead Department for severe weather emergencies and the Office of Public Works (OPW) has responsibility for capital flood relief activities. However, the Department of Social Protection has an important role to play in assisting households in the immediate aftermath of emergency events such as flooding.

The Department's humanitarian assistance scheme was approved by Government in November 2009 and the Government authorised the spending of up to €10 million. Almost €4 million has been paid under the scheme from 2009 to end 2015.

In early December 2015, the Department activated this scheme, administered by the local Community Welfare Service (CWS), to assist householders affected by the severe weather conditions. Since early December 2015, support has been provided to some 424 households at a cost of over €498,700 (overall average payment c. €1,176). A breakdown of these payments by county is provided in the following tabular statement. Statistics are not maintained on the number of applications received under the humanitarian assistance scheme.

In dealing with emergency events of this nature, the Department generally adopts a three stage approach as follows:

- Stage 1 is to provide emergency income support payments (food, clothing and personal items) in the immediate aftermath of the event. A relatively small amount of financial assistance is generally provided initially with payments around the country ranging from €100 to €500 depending on family size.

- Stage 2 generally involves the replacement of white goods, basic furniture items and other essential household items. It is not until the flood water abates and houses dry out that the full extent of the damage to homes will become known.

- Stage 3 is to identify what longer term financial support or works are required. It could take several months before this stage of response commences and this may involve a cross Departmental/Agency response. Works carried out can include plastering, dry-lining, relaying of floors, electrical re-wiring and painting.

The scheme is demand led and there is a time lag between the flooding event and actual claims for financial support. In relation to the case mentioned by Deputy Calleary, the person concerned received assistance under stage 2 of the humanitarian assistance scheme in December 2015. Department officials advised the person to submit quotes regarding the extent and costs of damage incurred and requested further information in relation to insurance cover. Once the necessary information is provided to the Department, a decision will be made regarding the provision of supports under stage 3 of the scheme.

People seeking assistance should contact their local DSP Intreo Centre or CWS office who will be able to offer assistance. Department contact phone numbers for persons in affected areas are available on the Department's website, as follows:

www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Humanitarian-Assistance-Scheme.aspx.

The purpose of the Department's humanitarian assistance scheme is to provide assistance to households whose homes have been affected by flooding and other severe weather events, but would not include preventative works such as flood barriers. The OPW is the lead agency for flood risk management. The OPW's food risk management programme, the Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme will publish its Flood Risk Management Plans, this summer, with the feasible flood prevention measures to manage flooding in those areas at significant risk and impact from flooding. In the context of the CFRAM Programme, the Government recently announced two pilot Individual Property Protection (IPP) projects. These are community based pilots to inform the mechanism to deliver IPP, as part of a community based approach or scheme and also the potential costs and benefits attached to IPP for areas where a flood defence scheme is not likely to be completed for some time. I am advised by the OPW that these pilots will, in time, inform any extension of IPP to other areas.

Humanitarian Assistance Payments by County (4^thDecember 2015 - 29^thJanuary 2016)